Love, thy taste is Bitter
by Xejis
Summary: The students take on a school full of vampires. Kotori Tsukino is an average girl who just transferred into Kurosu Academy. A simple crush on a certain Kaname Kuran and a budding friendship with Yuki Kurosu drags her into another world she never thought existed. A world full of blood, and those who drink it. *NOT a Mary Sue fic!*
1. First Meetings

**Okay before anything else, I would like to say that Kotori is _NOT_ Mary sue. You don't like 'em. I don't like 'em. So I'm not writing about 'em. However I will tell you now that there'll be a _lot_ of Oc's in this fanfic since it's essentially about the day class students at Kurosu Academy and less about the actually story line. I'm telling you this now, because I know how I get annoyed when an author just randomly adds a bunch of Oc's without saying anything about it. Don't worry though, there will be plenty of our favorite vampires in it as well. **_  
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**Also, this is anime based since I haven't read the manga yet, but I'm not as confident in my facts as I am in other fandoms, so if you see any mistakes in the names, place, etc. please tell me. (I'm using the Japanese names by the way. So Cross Academy is Kurosu Academy in this fic.) ****There will be times that things will be a bit or even a lot AU but please bare with me, some of them will be actual mistakes and others will be intentional. It just depends on how well the original story line and mine flow. If you have any questions feel free to ask me, and I'll reply as soon as possible.**

******_Warnings:_**_ blood, Oc's, and fangirls _

**_Declaimer: _**_I own the laptop that I watch it on, does that count? No, it doesn't? Oh well. I don't own Vampire Knight or any of its lovely characters, though I due own Kotori and any other Oc's I make up._

* * *

_All my life, my heart has yearned for a thing it cannot name. ~Andre Breton_

**_That thing is love._**

**Chapter 1 **

I rested my head on his chest, our fingers were loosely intertwined, his steady heartbeat echoed in my ears. He sighed contently tightening his fingers and drawing me closer, before going back to sleep. I smiled and looked up at the branches above us. Sun filtered through the leafs spattering its rays on us like paint.

Lunch would end soon, and we'd have to go back to our classes, but I couldn't help but relax in his arms. School life had gone back to normal after the attack half a year ago, though there were fewer students now. Some died during the attack. Others left due to the realization that the Night Class students were vampires. Either way with nearly half the student body gone Kurosu Academy felt empty.

I glanced at the main building shining in the sunlight off to our right. Sighing, I remembered when I first came here. It felt like lifetimes ago despite it being only four years. I had been scared about enrolling here then, but now that it was my last year I didn't want to leave.

Dark brown hair trickled down my forehead and face and I wrinkled my nose, laughing when a tired eye entered my vision. He apparently woke up, and was now leaning over me to get a good look at my face.

"What?" I blew a strand of slightly curled hair that was tickling my upper lip. It lifted off my skin for a moment before landing in the same position. I huff, and he chuckled.

"What are you thinking about?" His voice rumbled softly in my ear.

"Oh nothing. Just the first time I came here. Do you remember?" I smiled up at him.

"Yes I thought you were cute the first time I laid eyes on you."

I tried to keep my blush down with a scowl, but it apparently didn't work because he started chuckling again.

"Shut up." I muttered try to keep my scowl in place even as my cheek heated up.

A smiled tugged its way to my lips as he kissed my forehead. I was grateful, I realized. Grateful for everything that happened, even all the bad things. After all, because of everything I met _him_. Closing my eyes I allowed myself to simply remember all that had occurred in the last four years. The good and the bad.

* * *

I shuffled nervously in my seat as I wait for the headmaster to finish talking with the two other students before me. The new school uniform felt stiff and uncomfortable and I wish that it was a different color. My skin took on an unnatural pale color when I wore black and it made the small patch of freckles splattered across my nose stand out like beacons. I preferred the blue of my last school uniform. In fact I preferred my other school more in every way I could possibly think of at the moment.

I sighed as another wave of nerves churned my stomach. I took a deep breath like my mother instructed me to do, but it didn't seem to help much. I wish she was here at the moment. She'd have distracted me with something amusing; her laughter would have made me relax instantly. She'd always had that affect on my father and I. We were both worry wort's, but she managed to loosen us up when we needed it. Had my father been here we both would have sat in the plush waiting chairs and worried together in silence. Even that would have be preferable to sitting here alone.

However neither of them were here. They were working on a project overseas. I looked down at my shoes wishing selfishly that they hadn't gotten the job offer. If they didn't then everything would be _normal_. I wouldn't be in a strange secluded school far away from my friends and family. I knew it wasn't fair to think like this. It was childish even, but at the moment I didn't care. I was nervous, tired, and missing my parents severely.

I jumped when I heard a thump and raised voices from inside the headmaster's office. My eyes widened and I cringed back when the door slammed open with such force it looked like it would break the wall. A white and black blur sped past me before my eyes could focus on it. It was only after it had rounded the corner that I realized that blur was an actual person. It could still hear the person, a boy judging by his voice, cursing faintly as he got farther and farther away.

A girl darted out of the door look exasperated and more than a little tired. She sighed when she realized that the person was already gone then turned her reddish brown eyes towards me. I blush when I realized my mouth had fallen open at the sudden turn of events, and closed it quickly while ducking my head.

"Oh you must be the new transfer student." The girl's soft voice made me look up again, and I relaxed a bit when I notice her gentle smile.

"Uh yes, my name's Tsukino Kotori." I got to me feet and bowed.

The girl bowed back. "I'm Kurosu Yuki. It's nice to meet you Kotori-chan!"

"Ah, it's nice to meet you too." I stuttered slightly at her sudden exuberance.

"Well the headmaster is free now, so go on in. I have to go. Bye!"

"B Bye?" I stared at her retreating figure with wide eyes. "Wait; Kurosu? Isn't that…"

"The name of this academy; why yes it is."

I jumped at the new voice and strangled a squeak that threatens to escape my throat. Turning my head to the man that was now in the doorway I bowed respectfully knowing he must be the headmaster even though he was dressed a bit strangely. A green shawl? _Really_?

"She's my daughter." He answered my question with a smiled and I found myself relaxing somewhat. "You must be Tsukino-san. It's nice to meet you."

I nodded, and he gesture for me to enter his office, I did albeit not without some hesitance. He continued to smile as I seated myself in front of his desk, before continuing to tell me about the academy with great enthusiasm. His wide gestures and loud voice had me shell shock for a few minutes before I got a hold of myself and started to listen to what he was saying. As time dragged on I relaxed more, and soon enough all my nerves were gone.

"Now do you have any questions?"

I shook my head obediently though there were a few jumping around in my head. The most prominent being why they had two Guardians for the Night Class students. I understood it was dangerous to be out at night and that's why there was a curfew. But the way Headmaster Kurosu explained it, made it seem like the Guardians were protecting the Day Class students from the Night Class student. Which made no since.

"That's good. It's after curfew now, but I think you can manage to make it to the Sun dorms with the map I gave you, right? Don't worry about your luggage it's been placed in your dorm room."

I smiled and nodded. "Yes I think I can. Thank you for taking the time to explain everything to me."

I stood up, and bowed before heading out the door. With my nose stuck in the map I managed to make it halfway across campus without a fuss. However not looking where I was going took its toll when I turned a corner and ran into someone.

I gasped as I felt myself fall backwards. A warm hand shot out and caught my own smaller one before I could hit the ground. While steading myself I found myself looking into a pair of reddish brown eyes and for a crazy moment I thought it was Yuki. That moment passed quickly though as I realized the person in front of me was male, and quite a bit taller than Yuki.

After realizing my hand was still caught in his. I yanked it back blushing like mad and start bowing frantically while apologizing profusely. How could I have been so careless? Now I made a bad first impression! I heard someone laughing and I straiten immediately getting a hold of my frantic senses. I shot a glance at the person who laughed. It turned out to be a handsome blue eyed blond.

Taking a deep breath I calmed down and apologized one last time in a more decipherable manner. "I'm sorry I wasn't paying any attention to where I was going."

"It's alright, you're a Day Class student right? Why are you out here; its past curfew?" His smile was dazzling though small, and I realized right then just how handsome the person in front of me was.

I nodded and replied a bit shakily trying to fight down an even larger blush. "Um yes, I just transferred here. I just got out of the headmasters office, and was using my map to try and find the Sun dorms and…Oh no! Where's my map!"

I stared in horror at my empty hands, and turned just in time to see it fluttering off on the wind and into the darkening night. My shoulders slumped. What a terrible day.

The student chuckled, and I turned my saddened eyes back to him. "Just follow that path a turn right at the first intersection. It will take you strait there."

A grin spread across my face and I thanked him before setting off in the direction he pointed; my cheeks still warm with a blush.

_That was the first time I met Kaname Kuran. Though I didn't now then, the crush that followed that meeting would change my life forever…_

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**Okay, so how was that? Pretty terrible for a first chapter right? Well it'll get better hopefully. Please don't judge Kotori so soon. You'll learn more about her personality and past and hopefully you'll end up liking her. Tell me what you think and if you see any grammar/spelling mistakes that I missed. This idea just sort of jumped at me when I started to re-watch the series, and it wouldn't leave me alone so I decided I'd try it. **

_**Translations: **_

Chan~ A common informal suffix used for a close female friend or little girl.

San~ A common generic suffix used for strangers or people you don't know very well. It's like calling someone Mr. or Miss before their name.

**_Preview:_**

"Why do _I_ have to make chocolates again?"

"For the Night Class boys of course!"

"But I haven't really met them! I mean I've only been here a day! Not only that, but I'm a terrible cook."

"Their so dreamy, especially Aidou-sama..."

"Are you even listening to me?"


	2. First Day

**Aright here's chapter two. The very next day, isn't that exciting? No? *Cough* Well anyway on with the chapter.**

_**Warnings: **_blood, Oc's, andfangirls

_**Disclaimer**: _Nope don't own it, sorry.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

I woke up to the sound of another person moving around in my room and for a moment I thought it was my mother coming in to wake me up, but then saw the mess of clothes on the floor and decided to pick them up. She was odd like that. She never told me to pick up my own clothes, but seeing her pick them up I couldn't help but strive to keep my room clean so she didn't have to do it. Rubbing my eyes I sat up intent on telling her it was okay, and that I could pick them up myself after school.

However the person I locked eyes with wasn't my mother at all. Instead it was another girl my age in the middle of pulling up her knew high socks. We both froze and simple stared at one another for several minutes. My sluggish mind finally decided to give me back my memories of last night and I realized I must be in my new dorm room. The girl must be my new roommate that had been a large lump under the covers when I had stumbled in last night.

She blinked as if trying to wake up from a dream. Her uniform was half on; the white blouse that must have been nicely pressed at one point was wrinkled and wasn't buttoned properly. Her long light brownish blond hair was a mess of tangles that reached her mid back and her brown eyes squinted at me as if I were a mirage. I sighed, realizing that if I didn't do anything this girl would stared at me, still half a sleep and half dressed for a while.

"Uh hello, my name is Tsukino Kotori. I'm your new roommates. I got here a little after curfew and decided to just leave you alone since you looked like you were asleep under the covers."

I hoped I sounded nice and polite enough. I never had a room ate before and I wanted to make a good impression. I tried smiling at the still unresponsive girl, but it turned into a slight grimace as my stomach rumbled.

That seemed to jerk her out of her stupor and she laughed. "Oh yeah the headmaster told me I was getting a new roommate after Kiki-chan left. I'm Tanaka Akina, you can call me Aki-chan, okay? Come on get dress and I'll show you were the kitchen is around here!"

I smiled as she went back to struggling with her socks and stretched my arms above my head trying to wake up some more. We got dress in an awkward silence neither of us quite sure what to say. The silence was finally broken as I attempted to tame by hair. It only reached the nap of my neck, but it had a mind of its own and stuck up all over the place.

Akina burst out laughing as I comb through it several time, and even went so far as to use water; to no avail. I scowled at her for a few seconds before joining in her contagious laughter. After we were done we grabbed our bags and made our down to the kitchens. Akina started chattering away about life at Kurosu Academy.

We entered the dining room, where a bunch of girls were already eating breakfast and/or finish homework that was left to the last minute. Akina led me to the food line and I ask the smiling cook if I could just have bagel with plan cream cheese. I wasn't much of a breakfast person. We took a seat at an empty table, and Akina continued to talk between bites of food. It was a hard time not to laugh at the girl especially when she somehow got eggs on her forehead of all places.

"…And then there's the Night Class. Oh they are so _hot,_ Tori-chan. I mean there's a cute guy then there's the _Night class guys._"

I smiled slightly baffled at her obvious obsession. Thinking back on yesterday I remembered the guy that I ran into and a large blush made its way across my face as I remembered the headmaster telling me that the Night Class uniform was white with black lines, like our was black with white lines. That guy had been wearing that uniform and looked, well, _quite handsome. _

"Oi what's with the red face?"

I glanced at Akina; she had her hands on her hips her expression suspicious. My blush deepened to the point I thought my face was on fire.

"Uh, well, um. I think I ran into one of those Night Class students last night." I looked at my feet remembering his reddish brown eyes and the way his dark hair curled around the collar of his uniform.

Akina's demur changed in an instant. I jumped as her hands found my shoulder and she squealed in utter delight.

"Really? Which one? Oh you don't know their names yet right? Okay I'll tell you! There's Idol-kun, Kuran Kaname, then Akatsuki Kain, Senri Shiki, Ichijo Takuma or did you run into one of the girls…they're kind-of scary if you ask me."

I stared at her in complete confusion as I tried to decipher her high pitch speech. What was an _Idol-kun? Was that the name of a person? _ "Uhhh…."

She seemed to understand I had no clue what she was talking about and continued to give a detailed description.

"Well there's Idol-kun. (_He's my, back off_.) Well actually his name is Hanabusa Aidou. He's _so hot_ with his blond hair that sticks up in just the right places, giving him a cool but childish look that plays well with his happy fun loving personality. His blue eyes shine like sapphires, and…" She trailed off a moment blush before coughing distractedly and continuing.

"Then there's his cousin Akatsuki Kain. He's talk and has wild reddish orange hair that look perfect for running your hair through. Though," She shrugged. "He's not really my type. I like guys I can talk to, not one that'll let me do all the talking. Then there's Kuran Kaname of course. He had the most fangirls, (Even more than my precious Idol-kun) due to his amazing looks and mysterious personality. His has dark hair, that curls a little at the ends, contrasts perfectly with his pale skin and dark reddish brown eyes that seem to be able to look into your very soul…"

She sighed smiling dreamily. "If I wasn't so taken by Idol-kun he would be my favorite."

I gasped. "Oh then it must have been Kuran-san that I bumped into!"

Akina smiled brightly at my growing blush. "Aw how cute! Love at first sight!"

"Ah no, that's not…"

"How romantic! I can see it now! The new girl swept of her feet by an infatuated Kaname." Various glares burned into from any girl close enough to hear Akina's shouts, which was just about every girl in the room. I flinched. Trying to wish away the blush reddening my ears.

"Ah no, I don't think that'll happen. He must be annoyed I bumped into him…"

"Wait." Akina looked at me serious all the sudden. "Did you seriously _bump _into him? As in actually physically touching him?"

Silence permeated throughout the room, and I felt a nervous tug at my stomach. "Uh yes?"

The room abruptly erupted in frantic whispers and outraged shouts. As Akina led me out of the dining room hurriedly I could hear snippets of exclamations.

"_How dare she…"_

"_So lucky!"_

"_She actually touched him!"_

"_Who is she again?"_

Akina was laughing as she dragged me out of the dorms and into the early morning light. The sun had just risen, and I blinked out the spots from my eyes as they adjusted.

"Wow! You, my dear, have made quite a bit of enemies. The Kaname fan club will be after you along with all the other girls infatuated with him!"

"B But I just ran into him!" I shook my head. _This school is crazy!_

Akina just laughed. "_No one_ 'just runs into' Kaname Kuran especially a newbie like _you_."

I sighed. This was not turning out to be a good first day. I wanted to make a good impression _not_ make enemies because I _accidently_ bumped into some random guy who apparently had his own fan club. Wait _fan club_?

"He actually has his own fan club?" I asked in astonishment.

Akina looked at me blankly. "Well of course, _all_ of the Night Club's popular boys do."

I shook my head. This school was strange; I wanted to go back to my old one already. I felt my nervousness from yesterday set in again as I woke up more and thought about what happened in the dining room.

"Hey, can you keep a secret?"

I glanced at Akina's mischievous expression, before shrugging. "Sure why not? But let me warn you now I'm not burying the bodies."

Akina and I shared a laughed, before she leaned closer and whispered her secret.

"The truth is that lump you saw under the covers last night wasn't me. Jin, a friend of mine, and I had snuck out last night to try and get a few pictures of the Night Class."

I blinked in surprise, and wondered if I was now sharing a dorm room with a stalker. It didn't make my nerves go away that for sure. Akina frown slightly her proud expression gone.

"We were caught by Yuki-san though, and apparently we fainted or something cause the next thing I know we're waking up in the headmasters' office. We got a major lecture." She sighed. "But I'd do it again if I got the chance."

"Oh." At her sideways look I decided it was best to change the subject. "So where's Jin?"

Akina took the bait and shrugged. "Probably still sleeping, we were up pretty late last night and she's likes to sleep in anyway. Don't worry I'll introduce you to her during lunch. She's a Kaname fan too."

What did she mean by 'too'? I decided to think on that particular thought later.

"So can you show me around? I want to make sure I can find my class before school starts."

"Yeah sure, just tell me your class!"

I pulled out the neatly folded paper from one of the pockets of my shoulders bag and read it out loud. She grinned and patted me on the back.

"Looks like you and I are in the same class!" She grabbed my hand and took off in a dead run. "Come on Tori-chan!"

I stumbled along behind her trying to keep up. Maybe I should exercise more. My mom had been trying to get me into martial arts, like she did when she was my age but I took after my dad in the lazy department and adamantly refused. Now I wished I didn't.

"Tanaka-san! Please slow down!"

"Called me Aki-chan!"

My heart was beating fast, and a stitch was developing in my side.

"Aki-chan!"

I shrieked when she stopped so hastily I ran into her back and flopped on the ground. Rubbing my lower back I groaned at the thought of the bruises that would surly develop from my backs sudden collision.

"Hey you're one of the girls from last night!"

The joyful exclamation made me look up to see who it was. Kaname Kuran and the group I saw briefly last night were on the path in front of us. The one who spoke was the blond who laughed at me. I glanced around we were next to the main building were all the classrooms and the auditorium was in, or at least that's what Akina old me.

"Idol-kun! You saw me?"

I looked back at the blond, and made the connection. I noticed Kaname send 'Idol-kun' a sharp look, and decided it was time to drag the starry eyed Akina away. Their classes must have just ended and they must be tired and judging from the look the long blond haired girl was giving us they just wanted to get back to their dorm.

I stood wincing slightly at the lingering pain of being forcibly introduced with the firm concrete. When all eyes turned to me at my movement I felt my already flushed face get even darker. I glanced at Kaname, but he didn't seem to be paying any attention to the conversation. It almost felt like he was simply letting things run their course; his eyes passed right over without any interest or even a slight recognition. I felt a sharp throb that had nothing to do with my bruising back. Not meeting any of their gazes I tugged on Akina's arm slightly desperately.

"Tana…I mean _Aki-chan_ you said you'd should me where my class is before school started."

Akina glance at me sharply looking like she's was going to strangle me for interrupting her limited time with her precious _Idol-kun_. I winced inwardly, but stood my ground. Akina opened he mouth to tell me off most likely, but I cut her off.

"_Aki-chan_ come on, they just got finished with their classes. They must be tired and I really don't want to get lost on my first day."

That didn't seem to convince her, and I was trying to think up one last argument when a shout caught everyone's attention. Yuki was running and Akina sighed apparently realizing she couldn't stay to adore Aidou with a member of the Guardians present.

"Hey! It's time for the Night Class to retire to their dorms. Girls you need to get to class!"

Everyone nodded in agreement as the panting girl slid to a stop, before going are separate ways. The Night Class continued down another path that apparently led to the Moon dorm and Akina dragged me towards the building entrance.

I glance over my shoulder at Kaname staring at the back of his head for a moment. The sharp look her sent Aidou was still fresh in my mind, and I wondered what could have prompted that. Sure Aidou seemed overly friendly, but he hadn't done anything, had he?

Then there was Kaname blank gaze. I wasn't so self-absorbed that I thought the world revolved around me, but did he not remember me at all? It was only last night that I bumped into him. Did he help so many girls that he could recall a single face among the masses? Maybe he had something on his mind. Or was I not good enough to remember? That thought made me tug a strand of my unruly black hair, and I looked at his retreating back in thought. My attention only shifted when I felt a burning stare sent my way. The long haired blond met my curious gaze with a glare and I looked away quickly.

_What was her problem? _

Yuki sent me a smile before running off towards the Sun dorms, probably to get something to eat I mussed she looked hungry. The rest of Akina's tour went well after that, she showed me where our class was and all the other places she deemed I should know. I even got to meet and talk to a couple of my teachers who woke up early.

This helped ease my nerves a bit, and was smiling by the time school started and I entered the class with took her seat as I walked over to the teacher. I stood up front with the teacher as she explained the project they were currently working on, while the other students filed into the classroom. The teacher, Kene-sensei, seemed nice enough though she told me out right that she wouldn't tolerate any foolishness. I listened intently to her as I tried to ignore the glares sent my way by a few girls who had apparently overheard the conversation in the dining room this morning. They were whispering together in the back of the class.

When the bell rang, I took a deep breath as Kene-sensei started taking roll. Once that was over she introduced me to the class, though in a very abrupt way.

"Class this is the new student Tsukino Kotori. Now you know what you have to do, so get to work." She glanced at me again. "Tsukino-san go sit by Yamamoto-san."

I glanced sadly at Akina who was sitting on the other side of the room and also looking disappoint we weren't able to sit together. Kene-sensei either didn't see our shared look or ignored it and started the lecture, clearly stating without words that no one to disturb her. I was left standing in the front of the room looking lost wondering who this Yamamoto-san was. I soon got my answer as a boy in the second row waved me over with a smile. Grateful I didn't have to remain upfront under the scrutiny of everyone in the room any longer I hurried over to him and sat down.

I felt the weight of the stares lift off me, as everyone lost interest and proceeded to start on their work. I smiled brightly at Yamamoto in my relief. He coughed lightly and pushed the heavy glasses up his nose. His eyes were hidden behind the lenses glare, and I had to due a double take at the messy state of his hair. It was worse than mine! His uniform wasn't much better; not buttoned up properly and so rumbled it looked like he slept in it. My nerves acted up again as I tried to think of something to say.

"Um, my names Tsukino Kotori." I blushed when I realized he already knew that from Kene-sensei's introduction.

He laughed softly, but held out his hand for a shake anyway. "Yeah I know. My names Yamamoto Seiichi. You can call me Seiichi if you want."

I took the hand and smiled. "It's nice to meet you. You can call me Kotori."

He pushed his glasses again and I wondered if he need then adjusted. A boy behind me snickered, and Seiichi shot him an annoyed look, before hurriedly telling where I could get my supplies and the class rules.

After history was over the rest of the day passed in a breeze. Sadly I never got the chance to talk to Akina, and a good portion of the girls in all my classes snubbed me. The others shot my amazed glances.

I could already tell I would hate my science teacher, Cane-sensei, when she looked down her nose at me and sniff in a disdainful manner before sending me off to complete an experiment that I had no idea how to do. Luckily Seiichi managed to explain everything to me when she wasn't looking. My math teacher was another story entirely. Sasaki-sensei smiled warmly at me and patently when I didn't know the answer to one of his questions.

At lunch I got to meet Jin who was a sweet girl with short brown hair and wide dark brown eyes, she was limping due to a sprained ankle. After hearing my crush(?) on Kaname Kuran proceeded to tell me everything she knew about him. Which was surprisingly little for someone who claimed to be his most loyal fan.

I myself was still unsure if I actually had a crush on Kaname. I never had a crush on anyone before, and when I thought of him my face would flush a light pink color. Akina and Jin assured me I _defiantly_ had a crush on him and I couldn't find the right words to argue any further. I decide to think more on it later, when I was alone.

I was reminded that it was Valentine's Day tomorrow when a discussion occurred in my last class. I laughed softly as the guys in the class express their jealousy towards the Night Class boys. The white haired boy's dark aura and even darker look when the guys claimed that he was the Day Class 'best chance' was rather comical. Akina told me the boy was Kiryu Zero and that he was hot, but had a bad attitude that she found a major turn off in a guy.

School ended to soon and Akina dragged me off to the Sun dorms kitchen as soon as I dropped my bag on my bed. Without any warning I found myself stirring melted chocolate with a wooden spoon and an extremely pink apron over my uniform.

"Why do _I_ have to make chocolates again?"

"For the Night Class boys of course!"

"But I haven't really met them! I mean I've only been here a day! Not only that, but I'm a terrible cook."

"They're so dreamy, especially Aidou-sama..."

"Are you even listening to me?"

I sighed. Akina was in her own world now. I glance around the empty kitchen. She had said something about getting down here when everyone was over at the Night Class gate, but it didn't make much sense to me so I dismissed it. Shrugging I went back to my stirring. I just hoped I wouldn't burn anything.

* * *

**Wow that's a pretty long chapter for me! Well anyway I hope you enjoy it, please review! By the way all the chapters with follow the episodes, though some (Like this one) will be divided into parts, and others might be completely different since we're following Kotori's story and not Yuki's. Tell me if you find any grammar/spelling mistakes, I'm pretty tired right now, and I don't doubt there are a bunch. **

_**Translations-** _

Sensei- teacher

_**Preview-** _

I glanced around at the crowd of girls in apprehension, wondering if they really waited here every day when the Night Class exited the gates. If so that was some serious dedication to the Night Class. Poor Yuki, she had to deal with these screaming girls every day.


	3. Windows to the soul

**Kay, here's chapter three! Wow these are some quick updates; I'm on a roll! **

**_Warnings: _**blood, Oc's, and fangirls

**_Disclaimer__: _**Nope don't own it, sorry.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

The next morning was less awkward though I don't think I could ever get used to sharing a room with another person. I was glad when I didn't receive any glares from the other Day Class girls. From what I gathered, they were too excited for later today when they'd be able to give their chocolates, homemade or otherwise, to the Night Class boys.

A thought struck me and I frowned turning to Akina. "What about the Day Class boys?"

She blinked and swallowed the spoonful of cereal in her mouth. "What do ya mean, Tori-chan?"

I winced at the nickname, but continued determinedly. "I mean, don't they get any chocolates?"

Akina laughed, and it was my turn to blink in confusion. When she noticed I was being serious she gave me a patronizing look, and explained. "Have you seen them? They couldn't hold a candle to the Night Class!"

"Well yeah." I thought back to Yamamoto Seiichi, he seemed nice enough. "But they're more approachable and well I don't know have you ever thought that _just looks_ aren't the best thing to judge a person on?"

Akina gaped at me, and I blushed at the tone I used. It was a bit harsh; I was opening my mouth to apologize when Akina started talking.

"It's not just their looks, Tori-chan, their just, oh I don't know! They have this aura about them, like they're not really a part of this world. They're so mysterious…" She trailed off looking distant. "There's something about them, Tori-chan, something amazing."

She smiled at me; her eyes still staring off into space. "You know when I first saw them I said to myself; _'Those people, they must be angels'_."

We finished our breakfast in silence after that; both of us were simple to lost in thought to restart the conversation. I thought of the two times I met the Night Class. Akina was right when she said they had an aura about them. It was invisible, but still teeming in the very air around them. Twice I met them, and twice I felt that strange aura.

It tugged at my senses; pulling me in slowly but surely. Kaname Kuran especially. It was almost like he had his own gravitational force surround him, and dragging others toward him like moths to a flame. I could feel myself slowing drowning in that strange power it tugged me under without any resistance. Was this, what the other Day Class girls felt? If so, then no wonder they were all over the Night Class. It was an intoxicating feeling.

I frowned and stared down the paths that led to the Moon dorms. Something was wrong. A nagging feeling in the back of my head told me to run away from those beautifully beings. Something about them seemed so terribly wrong despite their angelic appearances. I couldn't place my finger on it. I couldn't even be sure if it wasn't just my overactive imagination rearing its head.

Classes started, and I forced myself to focus on class work. My father would be extremely upset if my grades were to go down because I couldn't get a bunch of boys out of my head long enough to do my work. The interest in the new girl had worn off, and everyone was going on about which Night Class student they'd give their chocolate to.

At lunch Akina and Jin got into a fight over the pros and cons of the Night Class boy's and I tuned them out with a sigh. It seemed like that's all the students at this school ever talked about. I pulled out the small box of chocolates from my bag and popped one in my mouth. The sweet taste made me smile as I continued to watch the two girls fight.

"I may be wrong, but I thought the girls gave the chocolates to the _boys_ today, not ate it all themselves."

I glanced over at the boy who had just seated himself next to me and smiled. "I barley know anyone enough to give them chocolates, Yamamoto-san."

"Please, call me Seiichi." He pushed his glasses up. "You know there's this rumor going around saying you ran into a certain Kaname Kuran. I thought for sure it'd be love at first sight, it seems that's how it always is when the Night Class is involved."

"Really? That's what their saying?" I shook my head at the thought. "Honestly; I'll emit he's handsome, but this whole love at first sight is silly. I don't think I even register on his radar."

"Yeah none of us do I'm afraid." He frowned. "You know I've never really liked them. They always seemed _to _perfect, you know? They freak me out; I don't know how those girls stand being near them after classes every day."

"After class?" I questioned.

He glanced at me in surprise. "Yeah, no one told you? Every day when the Night Class comes out of their dorms to go to class there's a bunch of fan girls there to 'greet' them."

"Oh."

Suddenly the off handed comment Akina made last time when she dragged me off to make chocolates made a lot more since. Seiichi and I chatted for a couple for minutes before the bell rang for our next class. I had forgotten about Akina and Jin until they latched onto my arms after I waved Seiichi off. Both were grinning like made women and I gulped fearing for my life.

"_So _what's this thing with, Yamamoto-san?" Akina practically sang, and I turned a deep shade of red.

The next few classes were torturous, and I got more than a few odd looks due to my persistent blush. To my relief, though they also passed by fairly quickly and soon enough school had ended and I found myself being dragged between Akina and Jin as they hurried to the Moon dorm gates. My protests fell on deaf ears and I eventually gave up, and let them tug me along like cargo.

When we got there I couldn't help, but stare in shock at the amount of girls and the metal gates that lined the walkway. I wasn't long before I was separated from Akina and Jin due to the crowd. I fought my way to the back trying to catch my breath. Watching the girls I caught sight of Yuki trying to calm the crowd. My heart went out to the poor girl, but that didn't mean I was going back into that crowd to help her. It was too dangerous. I simply munch on my chocolates quietly and observed the seen in front of me.

I glanced around at the crowd of girls in apprehension, wondering if they really waited here every day when the Night Class exited the gates. If so that was some serious dedication to the Night Class. Poor Yuki, she had to deal with these screaming girls every day.

I thought about going back to the dorms, but my curiosity overcame me, and I decided to stay. I found myself a nice spot leaning against a tree and waited. Luckily I didn't have to wait long, before the Night Class made their appearance. Watching them interact with the girls I frowned. They seemed very polite for the most part in excepting the gifts, Takuma and Aidou especially, but something wasn't right. Looking at them from a distance rather than up close seemed to make all the difference for me. From my spot under the tree I wasn't feeling flushed and nervous, and my head was a lot clearer. With these changes I noticed something I didn't before. Their eyes.

'_The eyes are the window to the soul' _I thought to myself while trying to decipher what was so different about their eyes.

I couldn't place my finger on it as I watching their fluid movements. They seemed to glow in the fading light. I could feel that same aura from my spot, and I felt a shiver go down my spine. I froze as my eyes settled on a pair of reddish brown eyes. They weren't looking at me, but the sheer depth in them made my head dizzy. For a moment I forgot to breathe as I finally realized what was so different.

Hunger.

There was hunger in their eyes.

I backed away, pressing myself deeper into the tree's shadow as they continued on their way towards their classes and the girls dispersed back to the Sun dorm. Both groups were seemingly unaware of my presence beneath the tree.

'_Those people, they must be angels'_

Were they thy really angels? Or maybe they were something darker…

Frowning at myself, I slapped my cheeks. "Oh come on Kotori, this is ridiculous. You've just seeing things."

With that firmly said I made my way back to the Sun dorm, in a round a bout manner because I didn't want to get in trouble with the Guardians. Apparently I didn't have very good luck, since I proceed to stumble upon, Zero by the stables. He was clutching his chest panting. The scene looked vaguely familiar.

We he called out for someone to show themselves I jumped in surprise thinking he was talking to me. As it turns out there was another girl hiding in the shadows. I remembered her face from some of my classes, but couldn't think of her name. She offered him some chocolate, but ran when he shouted at her dropping the chocolates on the soft grass.

He looks like he's in pain I observed and I walked up to him. He reminded me of the Night Class in a way that didn't make much sense, but his resemblance to someone else was more unsettling.

"She just wanted to thank you for saving her you know." I said softly, a nostalgic feeling washing over me.

He growled at me, and I shook my head. "You remind me of him."

Confused flickered across his features. "What?"

"My brother." I glanced up at his violet eyes. "I'm not sure why though. You to look nothing a like."

I stared at him a moment as he struggled with another bout of pain. He clutched his chest harder. "No that's a lie. I _do_ know why. He used clutch his chest like that as well. After he and his friends were attacked on night he would randomly collapse in pain."

Zero glance at me sharply, when he spoke his voice was so harsh I winced. "What happened to him?"

"I don't know." A flash of blood crossed my vision, but was gone in an instant. I shook my head. "He disappeared a few months later without any explanation or even a note. That was five years ago."

A strained silence stretched between us. Neither spoke, yet there was an almost understand in the air. Then everything snapped back into places like a rubber band. He eyes narrowed, and he proceeded to tell me off for being out passed curfew. I apologized and turned walked quickly back to my dorm room. Akina wanted to know where I was, but I just told her I got lost. She looked like she didn't buy it and was about to demand the real reason when she must have caught my expression and decided to let it go.

Even after five years the pain was still prominent.

I got in bed silently and tried to clear my mind of all my thoughts, hoping sleep would come more quickly that way. A good half an hour later my eyes finally drifted shut and I fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

** Finished! It's shorter than the last one, but oh well I'm to tired to continue. Gosh I need to stop staying up late typing these chapters, it'll be the death of me I know it! Well anyway I hoped you like this chapter, I thought I'd add a little depth to Kotori's past in order to build up her character more and give me an excuse to have Zero meet/talk to her. Cause lets face it guys with Zero's attitude problem he'd have sent her off in tears in any other situation. I'm still not sure how I didn't with his character as it is. As much as I love the guy, he's a difficult person to write. Tell me what you think. **

**Preview: **

"Nooo!"

I glance around, as several more shouts echoed around the dorms.

"What's going on?"

Akina looked at me grimly, and said two simple words as if they were the bane of her existence. "Dorm inspections."


	4. Forgotten Memories

**With the way this is going; I'll have this fic done in no time! Okay maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but hey I'm proud of myself for such quick updates. **

_**Warnings:** _blood, Oc's, and fangirls

**_Disclaimer_**_**:** _Nope don't own it, sorry.

* * *

**Chapter 4 **

_I clutched my brother's hand tightly as he hunched over in another coughing fit. It had become a common occurrence lately, yet despite that I felt tears well up in my eye like they did every time this happened. He looked like he was in terrible pain, but all I could do was hold him hand and stand their awkwardly as he continued to cough halfway turned away from me. Even when he stopped his breathing was heavy and his hand trembled slightly in mine._

_He gave me a small smile. "Come on Tori-chan, let's go home."_

_I nodded, silently watching him waiting for another attack, as mommy called it, to come over him. It didn't and I relaxed slightly. When mommy had first suggested a walk Kiyoshi refuse, but after some thought and a lot of stern words from daddy he agreed. I was so excited when we left; now though I wished I we had just stayed at home. He still looked like he was in pain; his pale face was pulled into a grimace as we continued down the path. A light sprinkle of water hit my head, and I glanced up at the cloudy sky. Mommy had said it would rain later today._

_The hand in mine tightened and trembled harder. Our feet stilled as my brother started to cough again. I felt a tear roll down my cheek as I watch him. I still wasn't sure what happened. I just knew he went out with his school friend one night, and was in the hospital the next with a wound on his neck and should that looked like he had been mauled according to daddy._

_Ever since then he had been different and it scared me to see him slowly fade away right in front of me. He rarely left his room, even when it was time to eat. I woke up to him screaming from a nightmare every other night, but his door was always locked when I tried to go to him like he used to for me when I had nightmares._

_I didn't understand how things could change so fast, but when I asked mommy about it she just shook her head and told me I wasn't old enough. Looking at him now, in such pain I frowned. My birthday was tomorrow and I was going to be ten. Maybe then I'd be old enough to know then. _

_His legs collapsed and I was tugged forwards as his knees crashed into the dirt. "Nii-san!" _

_The ran let loose and fat droplets streamed down my face flattening my hair and making me blink up at the sky for a few seconds. Kiyoshi's hand tightened in mine and my eyes snapped back to him. He was kneeling on the ground water and mud staining his jeans, his head as down and his eyes were shielded by his black hair. His breathing was even and nothing seemed to be physically wrong with him._

_Despite this my heart was thumbing loudly and a small voice in the back of my min told me to run away as fast as I could. He wasn't moving. Why wasn't he moving? _

"_Kiyoshi-niisan?" My voice shook._

_He squeezed my hand and for a moment I relaxed thinking he was trying to reassure me, but his gripe kept getting tighter. I gasped in pain as my tears mixed in with the rain. Slowly he lifted his head, and my heart stopped as his eyes met mine._

_They were blood red. _

'_**Forget!'**_

_A sharp pain seared through my mind._

I blinked slowly my mind meandering its way out of the clutches of sleep. Sitting up I rubbed my forehead where the sharp pain that woke me still lingered. Yawning I tried to recall my dream to no avail. I rubbed my neck thoughtfully, but decided not to think too much about it. It was just a dream after all.

I glanced over at Akina's bed only to find her up and shuffling around the room. I blinked, we didn't have classes today so why was she already up? I jumped as an anguished scream broke the silence. Slowly I got up and stuck my head out the door trying to see what that was the matter.

"Nooo!"

I glance around, as several more shouts echoed around the dorms. I looked back at Akina who was shoving something under her nightstand.

"What's going on?"

Akina regarded at me grimly, and said two simple words as if they were the bane of her existence. "Dorm inspections."

I blinked in confusion not understanding why she looked like it was the end of the world. Despite to teenage girl living in it, our dorm was fairly neat. Shaking my head I got dressed in normal cloths, which consisted of a pair of old jeans, a blue tee-shirt, and some worn out tennis shoes. After picking up the jacket of my uniform that I left on the ground last night, and putting my school books and other papers in neat piles I turned back to Akina.

She was now placing something that look suspiciously like a stack of photos between the wall and her bed. Shaking my head I opened the door when someone knocked. It turned out to be Yuki, and I let her in with a soft 'good morning'. It only took her a minute to find the photos and the thing I had say her shoving under her nightstand.

The photos were of the Night Class, and the 'thing' was her camera. The photos were dropped in the large bin Yuki had wheeled in and the camera's memory was whipped clean. I cover my ears as Akina's voice reached a new octave I never thought was possible. I smiled at Yuki's exasperated look and started to comfort the now sobbing girl.

"It took _forever_ to get all those pictures of Idol-kun! And I was going to sell the picture of the other Night Class boys to get some extra cash. It's just not fair! Why dos Yuki have to ruin everything! She's so cruel!"

I patted her on the back awkwardly. "There, there. Yuki's just doing her job you know."

She was still sobbing and whining when I left her to go catch up with Yuki. She was arguing with two girls about how picture of the Night Class wasn't aloud. I watched in amusement as Kageyama Kaseumi, the Day Class president, entered the conversation hiding something behind his back. When Zero showed up taking Kaseumi's folder and dropping it into the bin I almost left remembering the conversation form last night forcibly.

It was normally not in character to walk up to someone and talk like that, but my parents had told me my personality changed whenever I was reminded of my brother in some way or another. The psychiatrist I went to for a couple of years said it was due to emotional trauma, and we worked through it. I sighed apparently it didn't go away like we had thought. I didn't know how I was going to be able to look zero in the eye now much less talk to him.

I stood there frozen as he walked passed me. Luckily my worries were for nothing since he simple glanced at me without a pause in his step and continued down the hall. I relaxed for a moment before walking up to Yuki.

"Uh, Kurosu-san? May I ask you something?"

"Hm?" She glanced up from the bin full of photos and other miscellaneous items that were against the rules and gave me a surprised look. "Yeah, sure. You're the transfer student aren't you? Oh, and you can just call be Yuki."

I smiled, and nodded. "Yuki-san, are students aloud to leave the campus. I would really like to take a look around town if it's okay."

She smiled back at me. "Yeah of course you can! You just have to go ask the Headmaster, but don't worry he almost always says yes."

"Thank you Yuki-san." I bowed slightly before heading down to the dining room to get something to eat before I went to see the headmaster.

He smiled at me as I entered his office. I felt my nervousness fade away, and marveled at the effect his warm welcoming smile had. I felt myself smiling back.

"Headmaster-san I was wondering if I could go to town today? We don't having any classes and my dorm has already been checked." I looked down at my shoes, a nervous blush staining my cheeks.

He agreed just like Yuki said he would, and I found myself in looking at the front gates a few minutes later. It wasn't a very long walk to the town, and I enjoyed the calm silence. For the last two days I had been by Akina's side for the majority of the time, and the only time she hadn't stopped talking was during class. I liked hanging out with her, but I needed some quiet time to myself in order to get my thought together. That's why I didn't tell what I was planning on doing today.

Meandering around town I stuck near the crowds and let them carry me from place to another. I didn't allow myself to think, because I knew they would only be thoughts about my brother. However even in light of this resolution, my rebellious mind didn't listen. Talking to Zero had opened a door in my mind that I had kept closed and locked for a reason. Thinking of him hurt. I knew he wasn't coming back despite that rebellious hope hidden away in the corner of my heart.

The police had called it teenage rebellion; the psychiatrist had called it an emotional breakdown, my father called it bad parenting, and my mother just cried. It didn't matter what other people called it though because he was gone and there was nothing we could do to bring him back. He didn't leave any traces. It was like he just disappeared. It took all my parents had to finally let go and give up their frantic search for him. Even now there was a lingering sadness in their eyes, that couldn't be extinguished even after five years of healing.

I stopped and sighed trying to put those thoughts away to no avail. I was jerked out of my stupor by someone bumping into me. It was a lady though I only caught a quick glimpse of her. I felt a shiver go down my spine at the sight of her disappearing back. It was only a matter of moments before she turned a corner, but I still stood their frozen. Why did I feel this forbidding aura all of the sudden?

A few minutes passed and I had just taken another few step when a blur of white and black shot past me. I was reminded of my fist day a Kurosu Academy. It was Zero. Though why he was running so fast I had no idea. He took the same route as the woman. Was it my imagination or were they connected?

Shaking my head I was about to continue when none other than Kaname Kuran walked passed me. He didn't look like he was hurrying, but there was an air of urgency about him that couldn't be ignored. He turned the same corner. My heart thumbed loudly in my chest as I walk up to the corner. Kaname was already gone, and for a moment I thought about following them. I stared down the alleyway and decided against it as another forbidding shiver crept down my spine. I turned and walked back toward the school my hands in my pockets and my eyes lowered to the ground. I didn't look back.

When I reached the school I closed the gate behind me and leaned on it for a moment. The sun was going down and I wondered how it got so late. It would be curfew soon. Closing my eyes I pushed off the gate and headed to my dorm. I hadn't eaten all day, and my stomach was starting to complain. Yes, eating would be a good distraction.

I glanced at the tree's lining the entrance; they were sakura trees. I smiled remembering the sakura trees that were in the park a few blocks down from my old house. My brother and I used to take walks in that park. We'd sound hours simply walking and talking to one another. I remembered the day he left we took a walk together in that same park. It was a cloudy miserable day, but I was happy he was walking with me.

A sharp pain struck me like a lightning bolt and I fell to my knees clutching my throbbing head.

_The hand in mine tightened and trembled harder._

"_Nii-san!"_

"_Kiyoshi-niisan?"_

_Blood red eyes. _

_Sharp fangs. _

_Nii-san bit me! _

'_**You must forget what happened today.'**_

'_**Forget!'**_

I blinked as my awareness returned to me. I was kneeling on the path my hands gripping my hair like a life line. What happened? Why was I on the ground? I released my hair and stood up slowly. Staring up at the darkening sky I blinked in surprise. Why wasn't it raining? Then I wondered why I would possible think it was raining. It had been sunny all day.

Shaking my head clear of the strange thoughts I headed for the Sun dorms once again.

* * *

**Oh dear, nothing much has happened during this chapter, but you get to see more of Kotori's personality and past. Well anyway I hope you liked it. I'll have the next chapter up in a day or so. **

**Preview: **

"Yuki-san? Are you okay?"

"What? Kotori-san? Oh, yes, I'm fine."

"Yuki-san...why do you have a bandage on your neck?"


	5. Taste of a Normal Life

**Hello folks, how's it going? I'm glad you guys like this little fic of mine. It makes me so happy to see those reviews, and hear your thoughts. Thank you guys for taking the time to comment! It really makes this fic worthwhile in my opinion. **

**I'd also like to say that I put some info about the characters (My Oc's) under My Stories on my profile. I've even typed some tidbits about them that you won't know until way later in the story! I'll keep adding more info and more characters as time goings on, so I hope you'll take a look! **

**Anyway, I've talked/typed enough. On with the story! **

_**Warnings: **_blood, Oc's, and fangirls

_**Declaimer: **_You know I tried to think up a funny little comment saying I don't own Vampire Knight, but then I took an arrow to the knee.

* * *

**Chapter 5 **

"Where have you been?" Akina's accusing shout startled me enough to drop my food back on my plate.

I glance at her blankly before going back to my dinner. I was lucky the kitchen ladies gave me something to eat, since I was so late. But they were kind, and when they saw my face pinched in hunger they immediately gave me some left overs.

She stormed up to me angry that I completely ignored her. I was to even think though, so making a decent conversation was out of the question. It felt like my head had been squeezed repeatedly then stomped on for good measure. Not only that I couldn't shake the feeling that I was forgetting something. Something important.

Akina gave up after a while of trying to talk/yell at me, and simply followed me back up to our room in silence. When I changed into my pajamas and got in bed without a word she didn't question it. I could feel her eyes on me for a while, but she respected my space silently. Soon enough I was fast asleep.

'_**You must forget everything that happened today. You mustn't remember about vampires; be grateful for your ignorance child. This world is not for you. If you must remember anything then remember this: your brother will never come back to you, and if he somehow does; he will be your death. Live a normal life; act like a normal girl. Now forget. Forget!' **_

_**This world is not for you.**_

_**He will be your death.**_

"_Nii-san…"_

_Why did you bit me Nii-san?_

_Why does it hurt so much?_

_Are those tears in your eyes?_

_Don't leave me!_

_Nii-san!_

_**Forget!**_

I rubbed my forehead as I woke up blearily. The pain had already faded, but it was starting to worry me. Was it normal to wake up with a sharp pain in your head every morning? My cheeks were sticky and I wondered if I had been crying. Glancing at the clock on my nightstand I sighed when it said it was only four in the morning. Flopping tiredly back on my bed I cracked my neck and tried to go back to sleep.

Ten minutes later I gave up and dragged out of bed. After wrapping my robe around myself I made my way out into the hallway still half a sleep. No one was up yet and I tried to be as quiet as possible while descending the stairs to the common room. I sat down on one of the plush couches and sighed, not bothering to turn on any of the lamps.

Thinking back to last night when I came back to the dorms I felt bad for blowing Akina off like I did. Now that my head was feeling better I wished I could have at least told her not to worry about me, or simply that I wasn't feeling very well. I looked down at my bare feet and curled my toes into the plush carpet. I was so lost in thought I didn't hear the sound of soft footsteps, nor the shifting of fabric.

The cushions dipped as a person sat next to me, and I glance up in surprise. Akina now occupied the couch next to me. I opened my mouth to apologize, but couldn't find the words to do it. I blushed shamefully. Why did I find it so hard to speak my mind now? I didn't have any trouble when I was talking to Zero. I never had any trouble when I was a kid. So why now?

"You're not as pale as you were last night." Akina's quiet voice broke the silence, and I blinked. I was pale? She continued. "You looked like a ghost, and it scared me. Your eyes were so vacant..."

She was hanging her head; her long hair still tangled from bed shielded her face from me. Her hands were limp in her lap.

"I'm sorry." My voice sounded slightly hoarse and I wondered once again if I had been crying in my sleep, and how long.

Akina answered that questioned not a second later. "You were crying in your sleep. It was obvious you were upset so don't apologize; I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"But you were worried about me… I should have at least said something…I was just…I don't know. I don't know anything." Without saying a word Akina took my hands that had somehow found their way to my hair and pulled me into a hug.

"I don't know a lot either." She patted my head and smiled at my wide eyes. "I've only known you for a couple of days, and you don't say much about yourself. But you know, seeing you like that made me want to get to know you better. Hey do ya think we can be friends? Not just roommates or classmate, but good friends?"

She looked so excited at the prospect and I couldn't help, but laugh slightly. "Yes of course we can."

She grinned. "That's great! By the way this is for you! I was going to keep it for myself, but I think this'll be a good token of friendship!"

I winced at her shouts wondering how long it would take for people come storming down the stair demanding she keep her voice down. I'd probably get yelled at too just for being there. She released me form the hug rustling around in her night gown pockets. When she found what she wanted she presented it to me with a grin that could have rivaled the sun. I took the object and gasped quietly as amusement bubbled up in my chest.

It was a photo of the Night Class.

Before I knew it I was laughing, so hard I could barely breathe. Akina joined in after a second of staring at me in shock. We laughed together for what must have been several minutes. I whipped he tears from my face when I had finally got a hold of myself, and shook my head at her.

"Really Aki-chan? Is the Night Class all you think about?"

She puffed out her cheeks and pouted. "I'm proud of that picture! Not only did I manage to get all of them in one shot, but I was able to hide it from Yuki-san and Zero-san during the room inspection!"

I giggled and smiled at her. "Okay, okay I get it. Thank you, Aki-chan."

She smiled at me, pout forgotten and jumped up making a fist. "Great! Operation-Get-Tori-chan-To-Feel-Better is complete!"

There was a thumb and a muffled shout that sounded vaguely annoyed and sleepy and we both smiled at one another laughing quietly. She dragged me back to our dorm room and we shared stories about our childhood and embarrassing memories until it was time for us to get ready for class. All in all I was feeling happier than I had felt in a long while.

By the time classes started Akina told me I was practically glowing. I just smiled and blushed. Finally the horrible feeling that had been looming over me since Valentine's Day was gone. I felt lighter and didn't care if people stared at me for my strange upbeat attitude.

I joked with Seiichi about his rumpled clothes, and I answered all the questions teachers threw at me. Cane-sensei didn't seem as horrible as she usually was. Akina later assured me that she was, but I was too happy to care. I even joined in the conversation about boys with Akina and Jin at lunch.

'_**Live a normal life; act like a normal girl.' **_

I blinked and glance around wondering who said. Akina and Jin were arguing about who was better (Aidou or Kaname) and I there was no one close enough other than that. It was almost like the voice had come from my own mind. I frowned and shook that thought away. I was just tired and hearing thing I decided with another shake of my head.

"What do you think, Tori-chan?"

"Eh?" I blinked in surprise at the intense expressions Akina and Jin were throwing my way.

"Which do _you_ think is better, Kotori-san? Kaname-sama or Aidou-san?" Jin explained, her tone hinted (Note: Blatantly said) her opinion on the matter.

I stared at the two of them for a moment hoping I could just get away with saying I didn't have a preference, but the looks they were eyeing me with told me that wouldn't work. Sighing I thought about the two Night Class boys.

From what I had seen, Aidou was a bit childish and a terrible flirt. His blond hair and blues eyes were unique though and fit his right personality. He was also the one that laughed at me for running into Kaname on my first day though. Kaname on the other hand was quiet and polite. His dark hair contrasted perfectly with his pale skin, and deep eyes. I blushed. I didn't know either of them well enough to make an actual decision, but just based on their looks I already knew which one I preferred. Akina wouldn't like this…

"Well I think it's a matter of your own preferences, but I like k Kaname better." I stuttered lightly on Kaname's name due to Jin's sudden triumphant laugh and Akina's outage cry.

I laughed at the two of them; wishing everyday could be like this. After lunch we walked to class together. Jin was telling me about this Raman shop in town that she loved; while Akina still moped. We sat in the middle and waited for our teacher to arrive. I left for the bathroom in the middle of of the lesson and ran into Yuki on the way back.

She was pale, and looked upset. I blinked; was this how I looked last night? "Yuki-san? Are you okay?"

"What? Kotori-san? Oh, yes, I'm fine."

"Yuki-san...why do you have a bandage on your neck?"

He hand covered it up in a self-conscious manor. "Oh it's nothing Kotori-san! I just scratched myself on patrol last night! Anyway I have to go. Bye!"

She was gone before I could even wave. I stared after her questioning why her voice had risen in pitch, and why she looked so panicked when I asked her about the bandage. I touch the side of my neck thoughtfully.

_A harsh pain tore through me as fangs sunk into my neck._ _Nii-san bit me!_

I jerked and gasped glancing around the empty hallway. The hand on my neck was trembling. I brought quivering limb front of my face, wondering why for a moment I thought it should have been covered in blood. I stood there in a daze.

An image of Zero came to mind. Standing all alone in the night clutching his chest in pain. The image melded with that of my brothers.

_Blood red eyes._

_Sharp fangs._

_The hunger in his eyes scared me. _

"_Nii-san!"_

"Nii-san." I whispered.

Why was it when I thought about Yuki's wound I saw blood red eyes? Why did I feel the phantom touch of fangs on my neck? But most of all…

Why did it remind me of my brother?

_**'Forget!'**_

* * *

** Well all I've got to say is this could have been posted sooner if I didn't have to mow the back yard. It made me lose my train of thought, and is the reason this is currently the shortest chapter so far. Oh well, I hope you liked it; drop me a review and tell me what you think.**

** Kotori's just about figuring it out, though it might take a while to connect the dots. I don't know about you, but if I was a member of the Day Class even with all the obvious hints, my mind wouldn't automatically jump to vampire. Not to mention the fact that she's currently suffering from memory loss. **

**I've got everything pretty much figured out as far as important plot/scenes go along with how it's going to end, but feel free to make suggestions. I love to hear what you guys think. :) **

**_Preview:_****  
**

The man was strange to say the least. Akina and most of the other girls were already mooning over his looks, but I felt a bad feeling come over me when I looked at him. His eyes were hard and as cold as ice.


	6. One Word

**Alright, due of a request made by** **AnimexXxGoddess I've tried to make this chapter longer. It may take a little more time, because instead of just basing the chapter off one episode, like I have been doing up till this point, it will sometimes go into the next episode and will have more detail. I hope you guys like the changes and aren't too upset with the slightly slower updates. **

**Also I'd like to apologize for my stupidity. Kurosu is a **_**Japanese**_** school and yet I made the mistake in making the classes the way they are at my school which is _not_ in Japan. I went back to change this, but you don't have to go and reread it. It's not plot relevant; all you really need to know is that Kotori is in Yuki's class, along with Akina and Jin is in another class. **

**_Warnings: _**blood, Oc's, and fangirls

_**Declaimer:** _As much as I'd like to, I (Sadly) don't own Vampire Knight.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

I stared down the hall in the direction Yuki disappeared. I couldn't answer a single one of the questions that were bouncing around in my head right now. It was surprising I could even form a coherent thought with the image of my brother on his knees struggling with a pain I couldn't understand.

_Blood red eyes._

No. I shook my head trying to clear the image from my mind. This was ridiculous. Why was this happening? No one had blood red eyes, least of all my brother. He had grey eyes like me that shined a pale blue in certain lights. He was a kind and gentle older brother who always made time for me, even when he had his own problems. He would never _bite_ me.

I gasped. _Bite? _Where did that thought come from?

I wrapped my arms around myself shakily. I was trembling, but paid no mind to it. Instead I tried to figure out where that thought came from. Why in the world would I think of that? Of course my brother would never bite me. Right?

_Sharp fangs._

_"Nii-san!" _

_"Nii-san." I whispered, tears welling up in my eyes._

_Stop it._

_Nii-san._

_Blood red eyes._

_The fangs were getting closer._

_"No!" _I covered my ears and shook my head squeezing my eyes shut.

"Hey, girly! Are you okay?"

I jumped at the voice and spun around me eyes wide. The Day Class boy behind me jumped in surprise at my sudden movement, his hand an inch away from my shoulder. We both stood there blinking at one another for a minute.

He was fairly handsome even with his obviously died bright red hair. Like Zero he had some silver piecing in his ear and his uniform wasn't buttoned properly, but he looked more approachable. His wide brown eyes shifted from side to side as he awkwardly tried to think of something to say. I wiped the tears away from my cheeks in embarrassment. I couldn't believe I broke down like that in the middle of the hallway.

"Uh, well I was out looking for a nice place to take a nap, and I heard you shout. So, uh, _are _you okay? Not hurt or anything, right?"

I blushed slightly and looked down at my shoes. "Uh, n no. I'm fine, sorry."

He didn't look convinced, but seemed willing to let it slide. "Well alright then. So whatcha doing out in the hallway like this during class?"

"Oh I was on my way back from the bathroom…." I paled trying to remember how long I was gone. "Oh no!"

I took off down the hallway calling a good bye and another sorry behind me as I raced to class. The teacher glanced at me in annoyance, but otherwise let my extremely long absence go. Seiichi glance at me worriedly when I sat down, but I refused to look him in the eye. He gave up trying to get my attention after a few minutes and a well-aimed glare from the teacher.

When it was time to go, I murmured a soft sorry to him before picking up my bag and darting out the door. I just wanted to be alone, to collect my thoughts. I knew I'd make Akina worried again, but I just couldn't be around people at the moment. I headed deeper into the tree running as far as I could and only stopped when I got a nasty stich in my side. Leaned against a tree and panted.

I was too confused, and utterly disturbed by the sudden images my mind brought forth. I wished I could ask someone about it, but I knew they'd think I was crazy. Worse yet, they'd call my parents. Then they'd be worried and frantic. They'd get themselves fired by coming back here without hesitation or any thoughts of the consequences.

They worried over me more than what was considered healthy ever since my brother disappeared. They were afraid I'd be the next one to go, and because of this subconscious thought they obsessed over my happiness without a care for their own.

When they suddenly announced that they were going out of country for work, I had been so surprised that they would actually leave like that. It had almost felt like they were abandoning me, but I knew after some explaining from them and the psychiatrist that it was for the best. The separation, would help _them_ get over their obsession with brothers absence and it would help them act like better parents to me.

If they heard that I was having trouble and they came back, then they'd never leave, and they'd never be able to move on. I sighed and kicked a rock weakly, before heading back to my dorm. It was class change time, and all the girls would be at the Moon Dorm gates so I'd get some peace and quiet for a little while.

I didn't expect Akina to be waiting in our dorm when I walked in the door. Nor did I expect the bone crushing hug, but I couldn't help but smile and hug her back. It seemed this was exactly what I needed.

"Thank you."

"That's what friends are for." She pulled away and smiled at me. "So are you going to tell me what's bothering you?"

My smiled fell and I looked down at my feet. Akina seemed to sense my distress, and put her hands on my shoulder. "It's okay, Kotori-chan. I won't judge you or anything. It won't even say anything at all, if you don't want me to. I just think you need to get this off your chest, that's all."

I sighed. It would feel nice to tell someone about it. I glanced up at Akina's earnest eyes. She was trying so hard to cheer me up. I nodded slightly and sat down on my bed. When Akina sat down on her bed across from me I opened my mouth and simple let it all out. I didn't tell her about the blood red eyes or the image of fangs, but I did tell her about how my brother went through so much pain. How he secluded himself from us, and how much that hurt me.

I told her about the day he left and how it completely destroyed our family. My parents search and search for him till they were a mess of tears. I told her how I was treated like I would be the next one to disappear. For a while they wouldn't let me out of their sight for a minute. I told how much it scared me to see them in such obvious pain, and how much it hurt when their gaze look _past_ me at the phantom image of my missing brother. Last of all I told her how I kept getting this feeling that I was missing something. How it almost felt like I've forgotten something. Something important.

She sat there and listened, without saying a word. When I started to cry halfway through, she sat next to me and held me quietly. After I finished we sat there in silence for some time. It was dark out, and we were probably the only ones in our dorm still awake. I sighed wishing Akina would say something. It felt nervous all the sudden for spilling my guts like that.

I shifted out of her embrace and looked up at her. I gasped when I noticed her tears. She smiled at me, and whipped them away.

"I feel like such a fool." She murmured. "I've lived such a blessed life, and I haven't been as grateful as I should be. I mean I'm always wishing for something else, without even looking at what I have. Two loving parents; who were willing to pay extra to send me to this academy even though it was far away just because I really wanted to go."

She bit her lip. "I've been such an ungrateful child to them, always asking for this and that without thank them or telling them I love them. Listening to you talk, I realized just how much my life is blessed. I'm so sorry Kotori-chan!"

I didn't know what to say I just hugged her as more tears pricked my eyes. After a while we separated and got ready for bed. There were no words exchanged after that, but they weren't needed. As I lay in bed trying to get to sleep I smiled softly. I couldn't bring myself to tell her about the image of fangs and blood red eyes, nor my encounter with Yuki, but even so I felt better letting he know about the rest. My old friends were wonderful, but I could never bring myself to tell them about any of that.

That night I didn't have any nightmares and didn't wasn't woken up by a fading pain in my forehead.

I got up with a smiled on my face and was dressed and ready by the time Akina opened her eyes blearily. She took one look at my cheerful face and told me it was too early to be happy before turning around and trying to go back to bed. I laughed and dragged her out of bed, telling her that 'Idol-kun' was looking for her. By the time she was in the right state of mind to realize I had tricked her, we were already down the hallway and descending the stairs.

She pouted all the way through breakfast, but cheered up when we got outside. By the time we made it to class we were laughing at a joke she told. We talked for until class started and I had to go back to my assigned seat. I was shifting through my things trying to find the right notebook when Seiichi sat down next to me.

"Feeling better?"

I looked up in surprised and smiled at the familiar glasses cover eyes. He pushed them up and shifted nervously when I looked at him.

"Yes, thank you. I'm sorry if I worried you yesterday Seiichi-san."

He nodded and got out his own notebook. "Yeah, I was a little worried you were sick or something."

I shook my head. "No, it was a personal matter."

"Oh is it that time of the month?" There was a long pause as we both realized what he said.

He flushed a bright red all the way to his ears, and I looked down also blushing fiercely.

"S-sorry!" He waved his hands around frantically. "It's just…well, ah, I have two older sisters…and oh gosh I'm sorry!"

"Tsukino-san, Yamamoto-san stop flirting class is in session!" The teacher shouted.

We couldn't even look at each other for the rest of the class, and I was sure that my blush had just become permanent. Akina sent me a knowing look making my blush deepen even more. How could he say that? Right out in the open like that? Boys!

While trying to find something else to occupy my mind with during the break between classes I over head a rumor that we were getting a new Ethnics teacher. I frown, our next class was ethnics. I wonder who he was. Would he be a good teacher? Our old one was kind-of boring, and had a terrible tendency to go off topic, but I didn't know he had quit.

There was a collective gasped when he entered the room and I was reminded of the Night Class for a brief moment before I realized he didn't have the same air about him. No he felt more like my grandfather, who had served in the army. He had he stance and aura of a soldier.

The man was strange to say the least. Akina and most of the other girls were already mooning over his looks, but I felt a bad feeling come over me when I looked at him. His eyes were hard and as cold as ice. My grandfather had told me sometimes soldiers went through rough times during war, and can become distant, when a friend of his had made me cry due to his unfriendly looks. I still remember that conversation even though I was very young at the time. However this man was different, I didn't know how or why, but he was different.

Several questions were asked and Akina to my utter embarrassment ask if he was single. I thought she was only into Aidou! Finally the Day Class President called for order, and one last girl ask a question about his eye patch. Zero ran out at that point, and Yuki chased after him. Everyone jumped and stared after the duo for a moment before the teacher introduced himself as Toga Yagari and started the lesson.

He was a good teacher despite my reservations and he presented us with an engaging lesson that everyone, even the student who normally slept, listened too. Soon enough I forgot the conversation with Seiichi and my blush faded. By the time lunch rolled around there were all kinds of rumors about Toga-sensei, though I noticed with slight unease that neither Zero no Yuki had returned. I wondered if they were okay, Zero looked so panicked when he ran out of the class like he did. Was he sick or something?

"What do you think, Tori-chan?" Akina's vice woke me from my thoughts and I glanced up at her in confusion.

She rolled her eyes at my lack of attention and Jin explained. "She was wondering what you think of the new teacher Kotori-san."

"Oh okay, sorry for not paying attention." I thought back to my first impression and decided to leave out the bad feeling I had. "Well I think he must be a soldier of some kind, or something like that. His stance reminded me of my grandpa who was in the army."

They both blinked them went into another heated discussion including my opinion while their ideas got more and more ridiculous. I smiled when they start questioning whether or not he was some kind of bounty hunter or an undercover agent. I shrieked when a hand settled on my head a rubbed it without mercy.

"Hey, you're that girl from yesterday. Feeling better?"

I titled my head back to see who startled me only to find out it was the boy I met in the hallway yesterday. I blinked in surprise.

"Ah, yes I'm fine now thanks for asking."

He nodded and smirked. "I asked Seiichi-kun if he knew a girl with hair as wild as him, and he told me where to find you. He went all red too, are you guys dating or something?"

I felt my face heat up in a blushed, and try to flatten my hair that was now sticking up completely in every direction due to his unorthodox greeting. Akina and Jin were laughing at me now, and I frowned at them in annoyance.

"No! We're defiantly _not _dating!" I scrambled for a quick topic change when his smirk widened. "Uh you know Seiichi-san."

The smirk didn't leave, but he answered. "Yeah, we're roommates."

"How do you know Hamasaki-kun, Tori-chan?" Akina had apparently gotten over her giggling fit, and decided to speak up.

Before I could say a word the newly dubbed Hamasaki-kun answered. "I found her crying in the hallway yesterday, nearly gave me a heart attack. I'm not good with crying girls."

He scratched the back of his head, and Akina giggled again. "You're not good at _anything_ Hamasaki-kun!"

Jin on the other and look at me in concern. "Oh, Kotori-san what happened? Are you okay?"

I smiled at her. "Yes, I'm fine now. It's nothing you need to worry about."

"Well okay then, just wondering and all. See ya." With that Hamasaki walked off and meandered toward a large group of guys who were laughing and joking.

Akina burst out laughing again. "Oh gosh Hamasaki-kun is something else. He pretends to be such a rebellious guy, but he's really sweet under the piecing's and dyed hair!"

Jin and I shared bemused glances. "Do you know Hamasaki-san?"

She nodded. "Yup, we went to the same middle school together. He had regular brown hair back then, and was a fairly shy kid. It still makes me laugh seeing him now."

We all laughed at that, and things went back to normal as Akina and Jin started up their usually Kaname vs. Aidou argument that made me shake my head. Lunch ended and the remaining classes went without a hitch. Akina and Jin went off to the Moon Dorm gates while I stay in the dorm and finished my homework. I still had a lot on my mind, but the images of blood red eyes and fangs weren't haunting my thoughts like they did yesterday.

I was reading a book by the time Akina got back and was so immersed I didn't notice her actions at first. However I was torn away from the story when she dropped something on my stomach and I let out a painful 'hey'. Setting my book aside I scowled at her then looked at what she dropped on me. It was a pair of binoculars. I looked up at her again, and she held out a flash light while grinning like a mad woman.

"Come on, Tori-cha! I want to see my Idol-kun tonight!"

"Ehhh?"

Twenty minutes later I was trudging through the trees alone and completely lost while feeling utterly defeated. How did she manage to convince me into coming again? I don't think she even tried. She just took a hold of my arm and dragged me out of the dorms. Now I was lost having been separated with her when she ran ahead of me in her excitement. I had dropped my flashlight earlier when I tripped trying and failing to find her. I wanted to cry, and wish fervently that Yuki or zero (I didn't care which) would find me even if I'd get in trouble for being out late, at least they'd take me back to the dorm. Which was the place I wanted to be the most at the moment.

I sighed for the sixteenth time and continued to wander trying to find anywhere that look familiar to no avail. It was too dark to see my hand in front of my face much less a build several yards away. It was a miracle when I finally spotted some light up a head. A grin came over my face and I all but ran towards it.

I slowed down slightly as I came up to it remembering to watch my feet just in case I tripped again. When I made I blinked. I didn't know we had a pool. I blinked again when I saw the person off to the side. It was Zero; I almost called out to him, but hesitated at the last moment. A box of some kind dropped out of his hand and her fell to the ground coughing. I was unpleasantly reminded of my brother, when he would suffer from his attacks.

Yuki showed up a few minutes later and I unconsciously crept forward to hear what they were saying. I didn't catch much of it, but Yuki said something about not being able to take blood tablets. What were blood tablets? Putting that thought away for later. I turned my eyes back to the scene in front of me, and had to smother a horror filled gasp. Zero had a hold of Yuki.

His eyes were _blood red. _

He opened his mouth, and fangs were revealed.

"_Nii-san!" _

_Blood red eyes met my own, and I felt my heart freeze in fear. His face was twisted in a cruel smirk as those eyes gleamed with hunger. His mouth opened and I got a good look at his fangs before…_

A splash tore me out of my dreamlike state and I realized that both Yuki and Zero had somehow ended up in the pool. They both broke the surface gasping for breath, and I noticed Zero's eyes had returned to normal much to my relief. A gun shot made me jump, and Zero cried out in pain.

Toga-sensei had entered the scene wielding a gun.

I didn't hear much of the conversation that followed though I was close enough to catch ever word. I was in shock. At some point I had fallen to my knees; my heart was beating so loud and erratically that I thought they noticed me for sure. However it seemed they were too focused on their own conversation. When I had managed to realize I couldn't be caught here I forced my trembling hands to push me to my feet and I stumbled away as quietly as I could manage.

I lurched through the trees trying to get away from that place as fast as my weak legs could carry me. I kept looking behind me, expecting any or all three of the people involved to show up and demand to know what I overheard.

I wasn't sure how long I walked only that I was still completely and utterly lost. A stroke of luck led me to a familiar path, which I knew even in the dark. The path to the Day Dorms. I stumbled onto the concrete in relief. However despite the relief the path brought me, I still couldn't shake the image of what I just saw nor could I erase the conversation I heard.

Everything suddenly seemed so wrong. Everything I knew before, everything I now know. All of it. All of it seemed wrong. My world was titled in a way I knew couldn't be fixed. How could this happen in one night? In one event that I wasn't even a part of? Yet I was involved even though I tried to deny it. I had been an observer. I had seen it and that made me just as involved as the other three.

An image of blood red eyes seemed tapped to the inside of my eyelids so that whenever I blinked I saw them. Tears stung my eyes, but I couldn't get them to stop no matter how many times I whipped them dry. My cheeks were sticky with the salty liquid. Why was I crying? Was it out of fear? Why couldn't I shake the image of my brother kneeling in the rain? My brother…

Why was I even thinking of him at a time like this?

My brother…he wasn't involved in this.. .this.. .what was this?

I tried to forget the memory of what just happened to no avail. There was one word stuck in my mine. One word that seemed to made everything make sense, but at the same time confused me even more. That one word made me shake in fear. It forced me to see images blood red eyes and fangs wherever I looked. There was a phantom pain on my neck just think about it. One word. That one word was…

Vampire.

Zero was a vampire?

* * *

** It's long! 4,000 words! I feel so proud of myself. I even managed to get in done in a day! *Cough*So anyway on another note, please ignore what I said in the previous chapter about it taking a little while for Kotori to realize the existence of vampires. Apparently all it takes is a sudden stoke of inspiration, and Akina's rabid fangirl problem acting up again. I hope you liked it! **

**_Preview:_ **Zero wasn't in class today. A glance from Yuki's reddish brown eyes towards his empty seat told me I wasn't the only one who wanted to know where he was. Yuki seemed extremely worried. I turned my attention back to the front of the class where the teacher lectured. Zero was a vampire. I know that, but that's about all I know. It scared me to no end. However in spite of this or maybe because of this I want to know more...**  
**


	7. Dreams of the Past

**Okay first off, I'd like to apologize to all of you who were waiting for an update. After having a painful kick in the rear when I noticed the date of the calendar I started a mad dash to finish all the school work that I had been neglecting this summer. With basically involved reading two books/filling out their respective worksheet; completing three art projects (One of which I still haven't finished), and reading over two other worksheets. All in all it has made me a little (Read: Extremely) worried for this upcoming year, and has made me wonder if I really wanted to take all these advanced classes. **

**Anyway enough about me, let's move onto this very late chapter. Don't worry; I'm not going to abandon this fic. In fact I hope to finish it in the next week or so and even write a sequel afterwards. However updates might not be every day as they were before due to my increasingly busy schedule. **

_**Warnings: **_blood, Oc's, and fangirls

**_Declaimer: _**As much as I'd like to, I (Sadly) don't own Vampire Knight.

* * *

**Chapter 7 **

Akina was sound asleep on her bed when I came entered our dorm. She still had her uniform on and looked as though she had been waiting for me to return. I smiled thinning at her, and pulled a blanket over her shivering form before flopping down on my own bed. I wasn't sure how long I laid there staring up at the ceiling. My thoughts were rushing past almost too quick for me to process completely. However after some time I found myself unable to keep my eyes open for any longer, and I gratefully slide into unconsciousness.

I was able to test my acting skills the next morning when Akina shook me awake fanatically asking if I was alright and what happened to me last night. With a barely steady voice I assured her I was fine, and that I just got lost for a while before I finally made it back here late last night. I smiled at her reassuringly hoping she wouldn't catch onto the fact that I was leaving quite a bit of things out of the tale. She didn't seem to notice and I let out a silent sigh of relief as we proceeded to get ready and head down to breakfast.

Zero wasn't in class today. A glance from Yuki's reddish brown eyes towards his empty seat told me I wasn't the only one who wanted to know where he was. Yuki seemed extremely worried. I turned my attention back to the front of the class where the teacher lectured. Zero was a vampire. I know that, but that's about all I know. It scared me to no end. However in spite of this or maybe because of this I want to know more.

I kept my little façade up though so that Akina wouldn't worry. It was like I was on auto drive, thinking dark thoughts on the inside while I smiled and made small talk on the outside. I didn't know how I could explain this turn of events to her without sounding completely and utterly insane. After all who believes in vampires in this day and age? No one, but a few crazy people, that's who. Akina would surly tell a teacher, who would tell the headmaster, who would call my parents, and they'd come flying back here in a rush. I'd be locked up in a white padded room before I would blink.

Lunch came a round and zero had yet to make an appearance. Akina, Jin and I were sitting out on the lawn today, and I glanced over at the hallway closest to us. Yuki was looking around in a worried manner, obviously fretting over something. Her hand drifted to her neck several times making me shiver and touch my own neck as if making sure it was unharmed. Shaking my head I turned back to my sandwich while joining in on Akina's and Jin's conversation though I couldn't for the life of me remember what it was about.

Despite my acting Akina seemed to notice something was off about me and kept sending me worried glances. I smiled reassuringly at her, but she persisted. When we made our way back to the classroom she asked me if I was feeling fine. I told her I was, but she didn't believe me and proceeded to hound me until the teacher came in and started class. I sighed gratefully and stared out the window quietly.

Zero wasn't there the next day either, though Yuki seemed a lot happier leading me to believe she had found him. I wondered if they had worked something out in regards to the other night when he almost bite her. This also made me wonder how long she had known a Zero was…was a vampire. The amount of questions only got larger, and I found myself wonder if there were other vampires and what they were like.

Zero hadn't seemed different beside his scary death glare, and he most defiantly didn't burst into flames in the sunlight. I wracked my brains for any other vampire legends, but couldn't find any solid ones I could base him off of. After all I knew or at least thought I knew that vampires didn't exist and didn't give them much of a thought.

The only time I remembered thinking about vampires was when I was debating on whether or not to buy a new book that had been recently translated into Japanese. I was an apparently really good book about vampires that were unearthly beautiful and sparkled in the sunlight. I hadn't bought it after reading the back cover and thinking it sounded kind-of stupid.

'_Wait' _I paused mid-thought. _'Unearthly beautiful?'_

My eyes drifted unconsciously towards where I could faintly see the top of the Moon dorm in the distance. There was no way was there? Why did we have a Night Class though? I remember the headmaster saying something about how they were the elite. Akina thought it was because of their beauty, not a single person in it was _un_beautiful or even normal looking. Some of the boys I over herd said it was just because their parents were rich. What if…

I frowned and shook my head. No way. There was no way, right?

I was in a thoughtful daze for the rest of class, and only snapped out of it when Seiichi nudged me, when the lunch bell rang and I was just sitting there. His shy attitude was a nice distraction from those morbid thoughts and I focused on that. It was obvious he was still embarrassed from what he said the other day, thought I had gotten over it. I smiled and told his it was alright. I wasn't about to bring up that conversation, but I think he understood since he smiled brightly at me before pushing up his glasses and saying he had to go meet a friend for lunch.

I waved him off and headed over to Akina, who was waiting by the door for me. She winked at me and I shot her a confused look. What was that supposed to mean? She just rolled her eyes and we left to find Jin.

Not ten minutes later I found myself in the same spot as yesterday, and I looked up at the tree above me. With zero missing I was unsure how I was going to do. What could I do? Ask him if he's really a vampire? No I couldn't do that. Maybe I should tell the headmaster…but then there's that persistent feeling about the Night Class wouldn't leave me. Surly as headmaster would know the answer, right? Should I ask him? What should I do!

I refrained myself from tearing my hair out and smiled when Jin glanced at me in confusion probably do to the warring emotions shown on my face. By the time Akina looked over I had gotten a hold of myself again and they went back to their conversation apparently satisfied. I looked up at the swaying branched above me. The sun peeked through making me blink back tears for a moment before a cloud passed over it.

I adored the sky, whether it was night or day. I closed my eyes and let the light breeze carry my troubles away for a brief moment and divine moment. My serenity was broken by the bell and I sighed deeply. The day passed by in a mere blink of my eyes and I soon found myself staring up at the ceiling having finished my homework and gotten dressed for bed without really realizing it. My eyes slipped closed as my mind drifted to sleep

"_Kotori!" _

_I giggled quietly in my hiding spot. I could hear Kaa-san shuffling around in the living room searching for me. I loved hide and seek! She opened the door to the closet and I held my breath, but after a quick look she closed it again. I couldn't stop the grinned and muffled another giggle. _

"_Kotori! Where are you~?"_

_Kaa-san was always complaining that this closet was a mess and that we should a least pick up the coats lying on the ground, but we never did. Thus I got the brilliant idea to hide under the coats and sweaters. The times I had done in it my own closet Kaa-san spotted me right away, because she made sure that there wasn't any cloths on the floor, but with this closet always being messy she didn't notice! _

_I could hear her heading into the kitchen and I giggled again. This was the best hiding spot ever! My giggled was cut short by a yawn. It was warm and soft and I felt my eyes fluttered closed. I wasn't sure how long I was asleep when I was jerked awake the moving of the cloths above me. Blinking I found myself staring up at Nii-san. We stared at each other for a moment before he suddenly pulled me into a tight hug._

"_Kotori! Imouto, don't scare us like that!" _

_He cradled me in his arms as he stood and walked back into the living room. Explaining that I had been asleep for several hours and everyone was so worried about me. They couldn't find me at all! After searching the entire house Kaa-san and Otou-san had gone out to search the neighborhood. When he had gotten home from a friend's house, and heard about it over the phone he immediately went to get his coat only to find me sound asleep. _

_I apologized both to nii-san and to kaa-san and otou-san over the phone. Everyone was relieved that I was safe and okay, though kaa-san made it clear I was in big trouble when she got home. I sat on Nii-san lap as we settled down on the couch together and waited for them to get home. I felt warm and safe with nii-sans arms around me, and sighed contently. He just chuckled and patted my head._

_By the time Kaa-san and Otou-san got home we were fast asleep, so much so that we didn't hear the shutters of a camera from kaa-san taking a picture of us._

_**~~Break~~**  
_

_One of nii-sans friend was having a birthday, so nii-san was out celebrating with them. He said they were going out to dinner and karaoke, and I didn't see why I couldn't come too. I sat at the dinner table and pouted, while moving my food around halfheartedly. Kaa-san was giving me the 'you better eat your food' look, but I didn't care. I wanted to be with nii-san! Why did he get to go out all the time? Was it just because he's older? Well I didn't care if he was seventeen or even a million years old; it was unfair!_

_I was sent to bed early that night, and stubborn tears streamed down my face as I laid there in the dark. Kaa-san never was one to put up with my pouting much less the tantrum I threw when she said I couldn't stay up to wait for nii-san. _

"_Your brother is a teenager, love, he needed to have time to himself every once in a while. I know he's spoiled you with attention, but Kiyoshi will be finishing high school this year and you need to be prepared for the fact that he'll move out some day." _

_Otou-san's words only made me feel worse. Life without nii-san? No way. That wasn't possible. I told otou-san that, but he just shook his head and tucked the blankets around me quietly. I frowned and wiped the tears away. Flashing lights caught my attention and I looked towards my window in surprise. Creeping out of bed I shifted the curtain to the side and watching as town men in uniforms made their way to the front door. _

_Our front door opened, and otou-san met them half way. I could see the shadow of my kaa-san in the doorway. I frowned, what was going on? Otou-san and the men talked for a few minutes and I watched as otou-san got paler and paler. I jumped when I heard my kaa-sans cry of despair, at some point she had made her way over to the group as well._

_It wasn't long before we all were packed into the car still in our night cloths and off down the road. I didn't know where though. No one would tell me. Kaa-san had dissolved into tears, and otou-san was scowling something fierce, but I saw fear in his eyes. Perhaps that's what frightened me the most. Otou-san was strong, he never got scared. Right? Where was nii-san? Frustrated tears welled up in my eyes._

_I found my answers soon enough when we pulled into the hospital. I remembered going here when I was really, really sick. I wrinkled my nose at the smell as we sat down in the uncomfortable waiting chairs. Kaa-san wouldn't let me go, even though I kind-of wanted o play with the toys scattered about for kids. She kept hugging me and sobbing. Otou-san was rubbing her shoulders and whispering soothing things in her ears, but she didn't calm down. _

_What was going on? _

_I woke up late when a man in a white coat came up to us and started talking to otou-san. Kaa-san watched them with red ringed eyes. We were spirited down the empty hallways, took a ride in an elevator, and was shown to a specific room before I finally got my answer. The reason we were here was because nii-san was._

_He looked so pale in the white bed and light blue hospital gown. Bandages were wrapped tightly around his head, neck, and right hand. Both kaa-san and otou-san was at his side in a second, but I stayed at the door. There was another man in the room who didn't look like a doctor. He was tall and dressed in dark colors I stared at him fearfully, because at his hip was a gun holster. _

_He ignored my stare and gave nii-san a pointed them, to which nii-san himself flushed and looked upset. He walked right past me out the door, but not before giving me an almost pitying look. Kaa-san was crying again, and so was Otou-san. I looked down at the pristine tiles beneath my slipper covered feet. It started to rain outside._

_**~~Break~~**  
_

_I stared at the door. The house was silent. Otou-san had left for work and kaa-san was in the living room. Probably staring at the half empty coffee mug in her hands vacantly again. She didn't even notice that I hadn't gone to school this morning. Instead I had quietly made some toast, and set in on a fancy trey with a glass of orange juice. Nii-san liked western food, and he hadn't eaten for a while, so I thought maybe he'd eat this, but I couldn't knock._

_I just stood there silently trying to force myself to knock, the trey in one hand and my other raised in a fist. I shifted from foot to foot before finally tapping lightly on the dark wood. Nothing happened. There wasn't any sound on the other side, and I began to wonder if my brother was even there. _

"_Nii-san." My voice shook, and I started again. "Onii-sama, I made you some toast."_

_Nothing stirred, so I tried knocking a little louder this time. _

"_Would you please come out to eat, Kiyoshi-niisan? I made this just for you."_

_I stood there for several more moments, before the door finally creaked opened. I refrained myself from gasping. He looked like death, and that was an understatement. His skin was an unhealthy pale color; his hair hung limply the unwashed strands barely touching his thin shoulders. His shirt hung off his painfully thin frame, and his eyes held deep bags under them. I winced, but held out the trey anyway. _

_He nodded and took it before disappearing back into his room again. I was left standing in the hallway trying not to cry. How long has this been going on? It had started right after he was attacked. Everyone just said that he was suffered from the loss of his friends. A year had passed since them, and I was nine now about to turn ten in a few days. Tears welled up in my eyes._

_Later kaa-san found me collapsed in the middle of the hallway with tears still rolling down my cheeks. She enveloped me in a hug without a word. We spent the rest of the day trying to comfort each other, but in the end only keeping each other company in our shared sorrows._

_**~~Break~~**  
_

_I woke up to the sound of people shouting. I blinked slowly and moved to sit up, but kaa-san stopped with a bone crushing hug. I looked around a little confused. Why was I at home? I frowned; the last thing I remember was taking a walk with nii-san. He collapsed…then what? My head hurt. Did I hit my head?_

_Kaa-san didn't noticed, she was oblivious to the world clinging to me and sobbing loudly. Otou-san was arguing with the police, and I looked around but couldn't find Nii-san. Maybe he went to his room? Ever since the attack he didn't like being in a room with a bunch of people. I glanced to the side sharply when I saw a moment. A man was walking over to me from the corner of the room where he had been apparently standing. _

_I recognized him as the man who had been standing in the hospital room almost a year ago. His dirty blond hair stood out in a room full of dark haired people. I figured he must be a foreigner. His gun was still at his hip and shy away as he got closer. He either didn't notice or decided to ignore in and strode right up to me._

_Neither of us said anything at first, choosing instead to simple stare at each other silently. He was the first to break the uneasy silence. _

"_I'm sorry for your loss." He tilted his head respectfully; his Japanese held a foreigner twinge to it._

_I blinked. He left after that, without another word, and I was left confused and wondering what happened. Nothing could have prepared me for the truth, and for a while I didn't believe them. After all how could niisan run off and leave me unconscious in the rain? Kiyoshi-niisan would never do that. He had never raised a hand to me ever, much less hit me hard enough to knock me out. Besides that niisan wouldn't leave. He would't run away. _

_As the weeks went by I slowly gave up the hope that I'd ever see Kiyoshi-niisan again. _

_He was gone._

* * *

**Well that was a little sad, but since episode seven was a flashback episode I decided to add some flashbacks of my own since this ch. is based off of episode 6 and 7. I hope you don't mind the litle breaks, I just wanted to put this: ~ but it wouldn't let me so I improvised. Also the guy with the blond hair in this chapter is a hunter, one I made up and will probably remain nameless since he doesn't really have a purpose outside of erasing Kotori's memories. Sorry, again, for the delay. I hope you like this chapter.**

**_Translation:_****  
**

Nii-san- older brother (Informal)

Onii-sama- older brother (Formal)

Kaa-san- mother

Otou-san- father

Imouto- little sister

_**Preview:** _I blinked blearily up at the beautiful girl. I was just barely holding onto consciousness. Deep down I knew I wouldn't remember this conversation or anything about vampires if I fell asleep now.


	8. Wildcard

**Jeez guys sorry for the wait. A bunch of stuff was just thrown at me all at once in the last week. I had a birthday and got my permit, which was really cool, but I also had to finish up/ look over summer work, and get ready for school which was a pain in the butt. Oh well, I had some free time so I decided to update this story. Just two more chapters after this, then the story will continue in a sequel. Well I say sequel, but it's more of a part two sort of thing. Okay I'll stop talking now, and let you read the actual chapter. **

**_Warnings:_**blood, Oc's, and fangirls

_**Declaimer:**_As much as I'd like to, I (Sadly) don't own Vampire Knight.

* * *

**Chapter 8**

It had been a couple of days since I saw the scene by the pool, and my mind was still muddled. It didn't help much that my dreams had been getting more and more persistent lately. Memories of the past came to me like the reflection on a lake. Clear when the water is calm, but turbulent during a storm, and right now my mind was the storm shaking up those recollections and warping them into nightmares filled with fangs and blood.

I sighed softly and picked at my meal with my chopsticks halfheartedly. In a last ditch effort to reframe from sinking into dark thoughts I turned my attention to the conversation Akina and Jin were having. They were discussing the upcoming ball.

_Wait. _

_What?_

"What ball?"

Akina burst out laughing, and Jin smiled bemusedly at me. I just looked at them in confusion. Did we really have a ball coming up? Was I so out of it I didn't even notice?

"I can't believe you don't know! Ha-ha, I mean it's not like we haven't been talking about it constantly for the last couple of days, where have you been?" Akina had finally finished laughing and was now staring at me as if I was an alien.

I blushed and scratched my cheek in a nervous manner. "Uh I guess I've been out of it?"

It came out as a question rather than a statement and I winced at the looks the two girls were sending my way. I laughed nervously before going back to my food still blushing.

"Awe what's this? You girls teasing Tori-chan?" A familiar voice called out, and I made a face at my apparent nickname being thrown around so casually.

"Hamasaki-kun and Yamamoto-san as well." Akina waved cheerfully at them. "What are you boys doing over here?"

Jin laughed. "No we're not teasing Kotori-chan, we were just discussing the ball and apparently she didn't know a thing about it!"

Hamasaki burst out laughing, and Seiichi hit him on the back of the head. "Arashi-kun! Don't laugh. Kotori-san's new here remember?"

A sly look came over Hamasaki's face. "Oh yes I remember clearly. After all you haven't shut-up about the new girl since her first day. You…gk!"

I blinked as Seiichi grabbed Hamasaki in a headlock and cover his mouth faster than I could process. Jin had the same shocked look, but Akina's knowing look seemed to intensify. Seiichi just laughed in a nervous manner and kept his tight grip on Hamasaki.

"So anyway, we came over her to see if you girl would mind hanging out with us at the ball? I mean not as dates or anything, uh, just friends erm yeah."

Jin giggled. "Sorry, Yamamoto-san, I have a date."

"_What!?_"

Akina's stunned shriek made some birds in the tree above us take off in a flurry of wings and loose feathers. Jin just smiled and nodded, a slight blush on her face.

"Well that's fine. How about you two then?"

I looked away from the dazed Akina and smiled at Seiichi. "I don't see why not. It sounds like fun."

He released Hamasaki, who proceeded to gasped for breath dramatically, and pushed up his glasses. "That sounds great!"

Without another word he grabbed Hamasaki's arm and dragged him off towards the main building. I blinked, my hand halfway raised in farewell. The sudden silence didn't last long, and Akina started hounding Jin about her mysterious date. However Jin just smiled and giggled slightly, but didn't say another word. I smiled at the two of them. I was lucky to have such friends; they made me forget about the dark thoughts lingering in the back of my mind even if it was just for a little while. For that I was thankful.

I sighed as the bell rang and we hurried back to class. Glancing back at the distant gates to the Night Class I felt a shiver go down my spine. I had thought it through for the past couple of days, and had come to the conclusion that there were other vampires out there, and some of them were at this school. The whole Night Class was made up of vampires.

I figured it was useless to try and warn the headmaster. He created the night class, so he must already know. I didn't know why or what would make him form such a class or even the reason the vampires themselves agreed to it, and I didn't want to get involved. It made me shiver just looking at Zero know. I couldn't get the memory of his with bright red eyes and sharp face out of my head.

What if they kill me if they found out I knew? I wasn't sure if they would, but it was a thought to consider in my opinion. I knew next to nothing about vampires, and it made me nervous. They didn't burst into flames in the sunlight. Granted they came out of their dorms near sundown, but there was still sunlight.

I had so many questions that I couldn't answer I was almost temped to go to the headmaster. But what if they were controlling the headmaster? I had no way of knowing, and the books on vampires in the library didn't help much. I couldn't prove any of the legends just by watching them walk to class.

I sighed again as the last bell ended glad I wasn't called to answer any questions, with my thoughts haunting me I wasn't able to pay attention in class and my grades were steadily getting lower much to my disappointment. I frowned at the seventy on my math quiz and resolved to do all of my homework tonight along with study tonight rather than join Akina and Jin at the Moon dorm gates.

An hour later left me staring at the text book wishing I could remember what the teacher had been talking about. I thumped my head on the desk glad as able to finish my homework at the very least.

"At this rate I'll fail the exams." I muttered softly.

Standing up and stretching I walked over to the window and peered out. The girls and some guys were coming back chatting almost angrily. I titled my head in confusion. What could have happened to make them so agitated? Normally they were all so happy coming back from watching the Night Class. I off handedly wondered what they would think if they knew they're precious Night Class was full of vampires.

What would they say then? Would they still adore then like they do now?

Shaking my head out of such thoughts I jumped when the door slammed open and Akina came stomping in as if she had just suffered the biggest insult in her entire life. I edged away from her as she stamped over to her bed and threw her on it violently. After standing there awkwardly for a few moments I closed the dorm door quietly and sat down on my bed facing her.

"Uh Akina? Are you alright? Did something happen?"

My mind flashed to fangs and red eyes, but I shoved that image away and waited for her to reply. She mumbled something angrily, but it was muffled by the pillow. I hesitated before telling her I didn't understand what she head. I jumped as she sat up abruptly her face twisted in anger.

"That ****. She's just using her position to get closer to the Night Class! She's always taking away our pictures and stopping us from talking to them. It's so obvious! Why can't the headmaster see that?! She doesn't deserve to be a guardian! Why do we even need guardians anyway!?"

"Uh…"

"Can you believe her nerve!? I bet she just pretended to be all helpless to get Idol-kun to kidnap her like that! ****! *****!"

I winced at the colorful language, and tried to piece together what happened as Akina continued to rant and rave about her precious 'Idol-kun'.

"Eh? Hanabusa-san kidnapped Yuki-san?!"

Fear for the kind girl bloomed in my chest. Was she alright? Did the vampires hurt her? Yuki had always been nice to me, and I didn't want her to be killed or eaten.

"Yes! It's so unfair! I want to be kidnapped by Idol-kun." There was a prominent pout in her voice that made me sigh.

I looked out the window thinking quietly and ignoring the rest of Akina's rant. I was reminded of the scene by the pool and I wondered why I didn't think of it before. Of course Yuki was involved. It what way, I didn't know. But it was obvious she knew about vampires. Maybe that's why she's a guardian. Zero was a guardian too, and he was vampire.

Guardians. When I first came to this school I wondered why it needed them, but I was starting to understand. They protected the Day Class from the Night Class not the other way around. Sure fangirls could be scary, but that was nothing in comparison to vampires. That's why there was such a strict curfew and the Classes had little contact with each other. Vampires and humans going to the same school.

I shook my head. This whole thing was crazy. What was a matter with this insane school?

Akina eventually stopped raving to get her homework done, and I started to study again. I was still worried about Yuki, but I realized there was nothing I could do about it now. After all what could I do in the face of a powerful vampire?

I looked out the window for the last time before I went to bed and felt a shiver go down my spine. I shivered and wrapped my arms around my bare shoulders wondering if I should have put on a long sleeve pajama shirt instead of a tank top. Akina rolled over in her sleep mumbling something about it being cold. I frowned.

_What was this forbidding feeling?_

The next morning I was relieved to find out Yuki was perfectly fine, though with the Day Class President hounding her about doing well on the exam I had a feeling she was going to have some trouble. I send her apologetic look when she looked my way trying to find a way out of being lectured. She sent a pleading look in reply and I shrugged helplessly. I was worried about my own scores, and I wasn't brave enough to try and stand up for the poor girl. The Day Class President was kind-of scary when he was in a panicked mood like this.

I focused on paying attention in class today and was able to understand a little more than I did before. By the time lunch came around I was fairly proud that I managed to answer every question Cane-sensei threw at me despite science not being my best subject. Akina, Jin and I started toward our usual place when a Yuki ran by being chased by a group of girls. I was left standing there alone when Akina and Jin joined the fray after hearing Yuki got hugged by Aidou.

"Uhh…"

"Oh my, what's a pretty girl like you doing alone?"

I turned towards the voice and found myself staring into the deep purple eyes of a Night Class girl. Her sliver hair shone in the sunlight and her smiled had a sinister edge to it that made me cringe slightly.

"Umm, well…" I couldn't find the words to reply, I stared at my feet as my hands trembled slightly by my side.

This girl. Her aura was suffocating me; it had the same intense gravitational pull as Kaname Kurans and fear bloomed in my chest.

"Awe how cute, don't worry sweety I won't bite."

The teasing tone made me angry at myself for acting this way. Why was I so weak?! I raised my eyes defiantly to hers.

"Won't you?"

The cutting question was followed by a penetrating silence as her expression went from teasing to downright mocking. I felt myself bristle in annoyance. Why?! Why did they look down on us so much? I had noticed it immediately after I had figured out the Night Class was vampires. They looked down upon all of us, like we were the dirt beneath their shoes.

"So you know?"

It wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway. The air seemed heavier for some reason and it was hard to breath. A bead of sweat dripped down the back of my neck, and my hand were shaking more violently now. All the defiance was drained out of me as I stared at those hypnotizing purple eyes.

I sharp pain tore through my mind and I fell to my knee with a cry. Images flashed through my mind, or my brother, Zero, the Night Class. For one brief moment I remembered everything.

The blood.

The pain.

My brother's face twisted in an insane grin as my own blood dripped from his lips.

Then it felt like all my thoughts and mussing; all my memories of that day was being forcibly pulled from my mind. I opened my mouth to scream, but my voice was caught in my throat and all I managed was a pained groan. My vision tunneled as my head met the ground and I shuttered when I felt a cold hand stroke the side of my face.

"You're interesting, I'll give you that. As much as I loathe them, the hunters are good at cleaning up and have some pretty strong memory spells. Given more time you could have thrown it off completely, which is a great feat for a human. However I can't allow you to remember now, much less know about our kind. You see I know who turned your brother. His name is Rido Kuran."

I blinked blearily up at the beautiful girl. I was just barely holding onto consciousness. Deep down I knew I wouldn't remember this conversation or anything about vampires if I fell asleep now.

"Don't worries I'll give you back your memories when the time is right. You'll be my distraction; my dear if all else fails. A wildcard that wasn't supposed to be here. A pawn Kaname would never see coming. Now go to sleep little girl."

My eyes closed and I knew no more.

* * *

**It's short, but I didn't want to continue and end up taking away some of the tension. Maria makes an appearance; we find out the pureblood that turned poor Kiyoshi and Kotori's lost her memory again. What will happen next?**


	9. The Beginning of the End

_ **Well I don't have much to say other than I very sorry this is so late. School started and suddenly even my weekends were filled with work. I've barely have time to think much less type out a chapter. I managed to do some things such as that little one-shot and a challenge so I figured it was about time I sat down and set aside time for a full chapter.**_

_**Warnings: **_**blood, Oc's, and fangirls**

**_Declaimer: _As much as I'd like to, I (Sadly) don't own Vampire Knight.**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

I stretched and winced as my back popped in a couple of places. Exams were finally over and it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. I grinned at Seiichi who smiled back tiredly in return. It seemed all that studying I did paid off in the end because there were only a few things that I didn't understand or outsight didn't know.

I couldn't for the life of me understand why I wasn't paying attention in class since I have always been a good student. I searched for reasons until I gave myself a headache, but still could come up a reason. In the end I shrugged it off, figuring it must have been because I was trying to adjust to this school.

Akina was by my side as soon as the bell rang signaling the end of class tugging me out of my seat and towards the door. I couldn't make out most of her babble, but I caught enough bits and pieces to figure out that she wanted to go to town with Jin and I in order to get dresses for the ball. I shook my head in amusement. Akina was so pushy.

It seemed like Akina wasn't the only one with that idea because the front gates were crowded with day class students leaving for town. Jin waved us over when she caught sight of us and without further prompting the three of us were making our way down the road. I shivered as a cool wind whipped around us and glanced back towards the school. For some reason my eyes landed on the old teachers dorm. No one lived there, and there were rumors that it was haunted. I shiver ran down my spine that had nothing to do with the cool weather. Was it my imagination or was someone watching me?

Feeling highly disturbed I focused on Akina and Jin's conversation about dresses to distract myself. It wasn't long before we made it to town and into one of the crowded dress shops. It was a madhouse and I nearly got shoved to the ground several times by anxious girls trying to find the 'perfect' dress. Akina got in several shouting matches over dresses as Jin and I watched in silent awe over how loud two girls could get. After a good half hour of searching and quarrelling with other girls Jin managed to find a dress she adored.

It was a pale blue and came to her knees and flared when she twirled. The halter top fit snugly and looked good with the white shawl she found to go with it. Akina's dress was next. It was a sleeveless floor length outfit in a dark rose red color. She smirked at us as we gaped at the tightness of the dress and how well she managed to pull it off.

Mine took a little while longer since Jin and Akina could seem to decide one what type of dress would suit me best. I had to cover my ears at one point when their argument escalated. Luckily one of the shop workers took notice of our predicament and found a dress they both could agree on though I wasn't all that sure.

It was a floor length spaghetti top, black dress that unlike Akina's tight dress flared out at my waist and fell to the floor with graceful folds. The bodice was decorated with white lace that appeared again at the bottom of the gown. I wasn't sure about the black coloring, but both Jin and Akina assured me I looked great. Since I couldn't walk in heals to save my life Akina and Jin settled for simple black flats and a white shawl light Jin's to keep me warm. We left the shop with empty purses, but looking forward to the next day.

Unfortunately Akina and my class ended up having to spend most of the day decorating due to Yuki's and Zero's terrible scores on the exams. The President was very upset and let anyone close to him know about it with his constant whining and complaining. I felt bad for Yuki, but was still slightly upset we had to do all of the work because of those two. Akina of course was livid. She already didn't like Yuki and the feeling only grew more intense when she realized that her time to get ready would be cut short. It was difficult to stop her from outright shouting at the poor brunet, but I managed to by telling her she could go all out on my make-up if she'd calm down.

I regretted that later when we made it back to our dorm. She had an evil glint in her eyes that made me worry. However, that worry was unfounded since Akina was apparently very adept at make-up. I almost didn't recognize myself in the mirror. She just grinned at my expression and proceeded to work on my unruly hair.

We both were a sight to behold when we were done. Jin's eyes' widened as we came down the stairs making me blush a bright red. Akina and I got our first look at Jin's date when he jogged up looking sharp in a tux. He was apparently in her class and had a crush on her for years. Jin beamed and blushed at his every word making Akina and I glance at each other in amusement. Apparently it wasn't just a one-sided crush.

The ball itself was splendid and I couldn't help but gape at all the students around us dressed up extravagantly. The Night Class especially looked like they were almost glowing in the light. Hamasaki and Seiichi came over to us as soon as we entered and I had another reason to gape. Seiichi cleaned up well apparently. His hair was tamed and his straitened locks fell in his bright hazel eyes that currently looked a mix of light blue and a deep forest green. His tux was perfectly straitened and he stood strait without his usual slouch.

Akina elbowed me into order to gain my attention again and I blushed. Luckily Seiichi didn't seem to notice sense he was currently glaring at Hamasaki who had just stepped on his foot for some reason. The night proceeded fairly uneventfully after that. Jin wandered off with her date. I saw them once or twice out on the dance floor. Akina and Hamasaki kept wandering every once in a while leaving Seiichi and I alone. It was awkward especially so when I caught sight of the Akina and Hamasaki across the room watching us intently.

We couldn't think of what to say to each other and any conversation we managed to start ended abruptly as we ran out of things to say. Eventually Seiichi left to go get us drinks and I wandered over to the balcony to try and get some fresh air. Unfortunately a couple was already there. I blinked in shock as I watched Kaname Kuran and Yuki talking. They both looked so serious. I frowned and turned around so as to not interrupt or eavesdrop on them in any way. It wasn't my business so I was going to stay out of it.

That didn't stop me from turning around, however when I heard someone walking away. Yuki was already gone through and Kaname had his back toward the ball. I stared a moment. Was it just me or did his back seem really tense. I jumped when the glass separating us cracked. My heart leap with a strange fear as it suddenly felt hard to breath. I was like the air from the atmosphere around me had been suck out. The floor seemed to tilt towards me and I felt lie I was in the presence of a dangerous animal. Everything snapped back to normal again after a brief moment making me wonder if I imagined the whole thing.

I walked away on shaking feet decided it time to go and find out where Akina was, or Jin, or Seiichi, or anyone for that matter. Anyone that was far away from the President of the Night Class. I found Seiichi first and gratefully accepted his offer of punch and his excuse that the line was so long that it took him a while to get it. Akina and Hamasaki came back looking slightly disappoint for some reason and we continued to enjoy ourselves while I tried to subtly get my hands to stop shaking.

It was around midnight when it happened. After some convincing Akina managed to get Seiichi and I out on the dance floor. We stumbled over each other's feet, but we were laughing too hard to care how ungraceful the two of us must have looked. I was grinning up at him my face flushed by our close proximity when a sharp pain flooded my mind.

I choked on my breath and froze. I could vaguely hear Seiichi ask me what was wrong when the flood gates opened and all my memories rushed out.

_The Blood. _

_The pain._

_My brother's face twisted in an insane grin as my own blood dripped from his lips._

_Zero. _

_Yuki. _

_The Night Class._

_Don't worries I'll give you back your memories when the time is right. You'll be my distraction; my dear if all else fails. A wildcard that wasn't supposed to be here. A pawn Kaname would never see coming._

I feel to my knees and clutched my hair tightly. I heard people shouting around me, but couldn't focus. My vision tunneled and I became deaf to the world as bits and pieces of phases and half-finished explanations flitted quickly across my mind. Images fit for nightmares forced tears to stream down my face. I shut my eyes tightly. A feeling of sudden vertigo over took me as I fell to the cold floor in a dead faint.

"Onii-san."

* * *

**Well there you go. Anyway I try and get the next chapter up as quickly as I can, but my schedule might not allow it for some time. I'd also like say thank you to all the lovely reviewers out there; your reviews just make my day.**


	10. Sorrow of the Past

**Well it seems the end of the world is nearing, because this is the first day I haven't had any work to complete since the beginning of the school year. Lucky me right? And lucky you too since I decided to spend this strange new free time to type up the last chapter.**

******_Warnings:_**_ blood, Oc's, and fangirls_

**_Declaimer: _**_I own the laptop that I watch it on, does that count? No, it doesn't? Oh well. I don't own Vampire Knight or any of its lovely characters, though I due own Kotori and any other Oc's I make up._

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_**Chapter 10**_

_I clutched my brother's hand tightly as he hunched over in another coughing fit. It had become a common occurrence lately, yet despite that I felt tears well up in my eye like they did every time this happened. He looked like he was in terrible pain, but all I could do was hold him hand and stand their awkwardly as he continued to cough halfway turned away from me. Even when he stopped his breathing was heavy and his hand trembled slightly in mine._

_He gave me a small smile. "Come on Tori-chan, let's go home."_

_I nodded, silently watching him waiting for another attack, as mommy called it, to come over him. It didn't and I relaxed slightly. When mommy had first suggested a walk Kiyoshi refuse, but after some thought and a lot of stern words from daddy he agreed. I was so excited when we left; now though I wished I we had just stayed at home. He still looked like he was in pain; his pale face was pulled into a grimace as we continued down the path. A light sprinkle of water hit my head, and I glanced up at the cloudy sky. Mommy had said it would rain later today._

_The hand in mine tightened and trembled harder. Our feet stilled as my brother started to cough again. I felt a tear roll down my cheek as I watch him. I still wasn't sure what happened. I just knew he went out with his school friend one night, and was in the hospital the next with a wound on his neck and should that looked like he had been mauled according to daddy._

_Ever since then he had been different and it scared me to see him slowly fade away right in front of me. He rarely left his room, even when it was time to eat. I woke up to him screaming from a nightmare every other night, but his door was always locked when I tried to go to him like he used to for me when I had nightmares._

_I didn't understand how things could change so fast, but when I asked mommy about it she just shook her head and told me I wasn't old enough. Looking at him now, in such pain I frowned. My birthday was tomorrow and I was going to be ten. Maybe then I'd be old enough to know then._

_His legs collapsed and I was tugged forwards as his knees crashed into the dirt. "Nii-san!"_

_The ran let loose and fat droplets streamed down my face flattening my hair and making me blink up at the sky for a few seconds. Kiyoshi's hand tightened in mine and my eyes snapped back to him. He was kneeling on the ground water and mud staining his jeans, his head as down and his eyes were shielded by his black hair. His breathing was even and nothing seemed to be physically wrong with him._

_Despite this my heart was thumbing loudly and a small voice in the back of my min told me to run away as fast as I could. He wasn't moving. Why wasn't he moving?_

"_Kiyoshi-niisan?" My voice shook._

_He squeezed my hand and for a moment I relaxed thinking he was trying to reassure me, but his gripe kept getting tighter. I gasped in pain as my tears mixed in with the rain. Slowly he lifted his head, and my heart stopped as his eyes met mine._

_They were blood red._

"Nii-san?"

_I tried to tug my hand away and whimpered when his face twisted into a sick grin. Long fangs glistened in the light. This wasn't my brother. It couldn't be._

_This was a monster. _

_I could move much less scream when he jerked forward too quickly for me to see. The next thing I knew was the warmth of his ragged breath on my neck. _

_The rain continued to pour as he bites into my neck like a savage beast. I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out. _

_I didn't know how much time passed. All I could hear was the disgusting sounds of my own blood be gulped down like water. My unfocused eyes stared up at the dark sky uncaring of the rain droplet streaming down my face. Or were they tears? I couldn't tell. The pain seemed never-ending. In my daze like state my limp hand made its way up to my brother's hair. I clutched the wet strands and tugged weakly._

"_Kiyoshi-nii…san your hur-hurting me…" _

_His movements froze._

_I felt him pull away from me. As his face came back into view I noticed that his eyes returned to normal, but the sheer horror in them made my heart ache. _

"…_Tori-chan?" His hand trembled as he reached forward to touch my cheek. I flinched and his eyes widened. "No…no I didn't I I Tori-chan…"_

_Thunder rang though the air as he wrapped his trembling limbs around himself. I just stood there still in a daze. He stood and back away. I blinked._

"_No…I I can't stay here anymore…" He looked at me with terrified eyes. "I can't...I'm sorry…I can't…"_

_He turned and ran._

"_Nii-san?" I tried to stumble after him, but my legs felt heavy. "Nii-san! Kiyoshi-niisan!" _

_I didn't make it very far until I feel and land in a cold puddle. I laid there in too much pain to move any further. I watched as my blood turned the water pooled around my heart a dark red. Thunder boomed again and lighting flashed, but I wasn't paying attention to either. My mind was focused on repeated the events that just occurred in a jumbled order tainted with fear and confusion. _

_I didn't hear him walk up to me, but I felt his gentle hands pulled me into a sitting position. It was the same man from the hospital I noticed immediately. My eyes roamed his face in a distant manner as he examined and treated my wound. When he was finished he muttered something under his breath and the pain dulled. He gave me some tablets that reminded me of the vitamins Kaa-san made me eat and sighed heavily. _

"_I told him this would happen."_

_I looked at him blankly as my mind started to clear. _

_He shook his head. "Do you understand what happened little girl?"_

_I didn't reply. _

_He scowled. "I had explaining to children…oh well. Look kid your brother was attacked by a monster and has turned into one himself." _

"_My brother is not a monster." _

_He rubbed the back of his head and grimaced. "It's the truth." _

_I shook my head and he frowned. "You brother just ripped a huge chunk out of you neck, brat. He's a monster now. Maybe he wasn't before, but he is now and there isn't any turning back. You brother was bitten by a pureblood vampire and is now a level E. A beast that only seek to fill his belly with the blood of others!"_

_I flinched and look at the muddy ground. I heard him heave another sigh._

"_I'm sorry kid; I really am. I lost my wife…" He trailed off. "Look I have a job to do. Can you look at me?"_

_After a bit of coaching I raised my eyes to his. He touched his hand to my forehead and I frowned at him in confusion. He smiled sadly. "Part of the job, kiddo. Gotta make sure you don't have nightmares about this later."_

_He closed his eyes for a moment before snapping them open and start to speak his voice layered with something I could identify. _

'_**You must forget everything that happened today. You mustn't remember about vampires; be grateful for your ignorance child. This world is not for you. If you must remember anything then remember this: your brother will never come back to you, and if he somehow does; he will be your death. Live a normal life; act like a normal girl. Now forget. Forget!'**_

I woke to the sound of rain.

I stared up at the ceiling of my dorm room for some time blinking back tear unsuccessfully. They streamed down my face and I didn't both trying to whip them away. After a while I began to notice the details of my surroundings. I was still in my dress, but my shoes and shawl had been removed. Akina knelt beside my bed fast asleep. Gentle rays of moonlight shone through the curtains.

I remembered the day my brother bit me. I remembered all of the discoveries I made since I came to this school.

I remembered everything.

And it hurt.

My heard hurt from the sudden onslaught of memories.

My heart felt heavy with the knowledge.

The memory of my brothers horror stricken face covered in blood made me curl up and muffled a sob.

Why was this happening?

I covered my face with my trembling hands as more tears welled up in my eyes.

Where do I go from here?

I didn't know. All my memories were returned, but I didn't know what to do with them. I sighed and looked out the window at the clouded sky. The rain drops splattered against the window pane softly; the moon came in and out of focus.

I sighed.

Would this nightmare ever end?

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**You know I wonder that too sometimes when I have an endless amount of work I have to finish for each one of my six classes and all of it is due the next day. Well anyway, this is the end of part one. I'll have part two, which follows season two, up eventually but don't expect quick updates until maybe thanksgiving break when I'll hopefully have some free time. You all have been a wonderful audience and I love each and every one of you for supporting me throughout this entire ordeal. Thanks guys! **


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